With Thomas Tuchel set to reveal his final 26-man squad for England's World Cup campaign this week, the talk surrounding those on the fringes of selection is ramping up.
The likes of captain Harry Kane, Declan Rice are Jordan Pickford will make up the backbone of the squad but with the depth of the Premier League and English talent abroad, there are several others that could be in with a shout of a last-minute call-up.
From Ruben Loftus-Cheek at AC Milan to Ivan Toney in Saudi Arabia or even Max Dowman at Arsenal, there are a heap of English players looking to make a late surge into the squad.
ESPN takes a look at the outside contenders to make England's 2026 World Cup squad.
Luke Shaw
A regular of tournaments past, England appear to have finally moved on from their dependence to Luke Shaw at left-back.
His last appearance came in the final of Euro 2024 and he was not included in England's final home squad before the summer.
Despite being overlooked though, Tuchel did say it was a "tough decision" to leave out the 34-cap man.
And with Manchester United's late season revival under Michael Carrick, Shaw could squeeze his way into the squad on account of his major tournament pedigree over his relatively inexperienced competition Lewis Hall, Nico O'Reilly and Tino Livramento, who faces a race to be fit for the tournament.
Ivan Toney
Top of the goalscoring charts in the Saudi Pro League, clear of none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, Ivan Toney could benefit from England's lack of star power when it comes to the role of Harry Kane's understudy.
Dominic Solanke is struggling with an injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin's form in the league has been inconsistent since the turn of the year while only really Ollie Watkins has put up a strong claim to be the back up No. 9.
Toney has been part of England squads since his Saudi move and hasn't given up hope himself that he could be involved come the summer.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
After undergoing surgery to his jaw earlier this season and spending eight weeks away from the game, Ruben Loftus-Cheek's chances of a spot in the World Cup squad have perhaps been and gone.
What he does have going for him though, is Tuchel. The German worked with him at Chelsea and called him up to an England squad last year, handing the midfielder his first appearance for his country in seven years.
Despite his nasty injury, Loftus-Cheek has three goals and one assist in Serie A this season and could make a very, very late shout for inclusion.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
For large parts of this campaign, it looked as if Myles Lewis-Skelly's time at Arsenal was coming to an end, let alone his England chances this summer.
But, a late revival playing in his natural position in midfield, including a rare start in Arsenal's crucial Champions League semifinal second leg win over Atletico Madrid mean that he may just be back in the fold.
A versatile option who has shown calmness in midfield, where he grew up playing in Arsenal's academy, as well as his exploits at left-back for both Arsenal and England last season, he could be too good to turn down for Tuchel.
Archie Gray
A key member of England youth sides in recent years, 20-year-old Archie Gray is one of the few Tottenham Hotspur players to come out of a disastrous season with his stock elevated.
Playing across the back line and in his more familiar role in midfield, Gray has shown maturity and composure far beyond his years in a campaign when many around him have wilted.
He's been rewarded with two goals and two assists and has been a Spurs regular in the league and Champions League but the north London club's dire form may work against him earning a seat on the plane.
"He is very young, [but] big potential as a player. I think he can become the future," De Zerbi has said of Gray.
"I am sure he can become the future of this club and the captain of this club."
Max Dowman
Should Thomas Tuchel want to take a page out of the Sven-Göran Eriksson playbook, then Max Dowman is his man.
Eriksson famously called up 17-year-old Theo Walcott to his England squad for the 2006 World Cup with the forward having yet to play a single Premier League minute at the time and learning of his call-up after taking his driving theory test.
Dowman, a year younger and the current youngest ever scorer in the league, does have top-flight experience. He has turned out five times for Arsenal in the league this season, games that included a euphoric goal at the Emirates to wrap up a win against Everton.
He would be the most left-field of choices for Tuchel on this list, but one that he did not rule out entirely.
"With these young guys, of course we know all these players. We see them as you do as well. At the moment I think he is in a good place to fight for his minutes at Arsenal. We always have the chance to call him maybe up for the World Cup," Tuchel said in March.
"There is no need to call him up now and increase the pressure and increase all the noise that comes with it but we have all options."
Danny Welbeck
Level with Morgan Gibbs-White on 13 goals for the season, the most prolific English No. 9 in the Premier League is unlikely to be included in the final World Cup squad.
There was some clamour for Danny Welbeck to get into Tuchel's squad for England's final home friendlies in March but he was overlooked, and has only managed one more league goal since then.
The 35-year-old last played for England in 2018 but with a No. 9 spot or two potentially still up for grabs, a strong finish to the season could see Welbeck turn back the clock in North America.
Conor Gallagher
Part of the England squad for the last two major tournaments, Conor Gallagher has fallen down the international pecking order in recent years.
But Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs revival may have come at just the right time for him, with Gallagher the perfect profile of player for the Italian and a huge part of the club's timely turn of form in their relegation fight.
His energetic, box-to-box style is also one that may interest Tuchel with the midfielder leading Spurs for recoveries since his January debut.
Despite Gallagher not playing a huge part in Tuchel's Chelsea team with a loan spell at Crystal Palace coinciding with the German's time at Stamford Bridge, his profile as a player fits perfectly into Tuchel's system and could be a more than useful squad option this summer.
Trevoh Chalobah
A virtual ever-present for Chelsea this season, Trevoh Chalobah could end up being a victim of the club's terrible run to end the season.
His only England cap came under Tuchel and his breakthrough season at Chelsea came during Tuchel's tenure, too.
He leads the west London club for clearances this season and sits third in the league (behind Virgil van Dijk and Jean Paul van Hecke) for ball carries.
England's centre-back stocks have been hit by injury, and Chalobah being on the outskirts of the squad shows the depth available to Tuchel.
Fikayo Tomori
Another centre-back with Chelsea roots, Fikayo Tomori was in Tuchel's final home squad before the World Cup.
Playing alongside Loftus-Cheek at AC Milan, Tomori has turned out 31 times for AC Milan in Serie A this year and leads the side for most blocks this season with 22 and remarkably is second for most forward passes (442) behind the timeless Luka Modric.
And with the likes of John Stones and Levi Colwill recovering from long-term injuries, he could find himself adding to his six England caps in North America.
Curtis Jones
A bit-part player for Arne Slot's struggling Reds this season, a spot in England's 26 is a long shot for Curtis Jones.
He has played under Tuchel though, half an hour in England's friendly defeat to Senegal last year.
One of the biggest frustrations Liverpool have with Jones is his lack of urgency on the ball at times and his 91.6% pass accuracy, the sixth-best in the league, backs that up, but could having an option off the bench adept at recycling the ball and keeping possession come into Tuchel's thinking?
If it does, Jones could just be his man.
Information from ESPN Global Research contributed to this report.