England captain Leah Williamson has withdrawn from the Lionesses squad for the March friendlies with a hamstring injury, and is to be replaced by Manchester United defender Millie Turner.
Williamson, 26, was set to return to international action for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in April last year, but has been ruled out after the fresh muscle injury saw her miss Arsenal's 3-1 win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
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Turner featured in the final England squad of 2023, though has yet to play for her national team.
Williamson captained England to the European Championship triumph in 2022, but the severe injury saw her miss the Women's World Cup. She made her return to the pitch in January in Arsenal's 6-0 win over Reading.
After that return she started against West Ham in the WSL and Manchester City in the FA Cup. The friendlies would have been her first international football since helping the Lionesses to their Finalissima triumph in April 2023.
England are playing their two friendlies at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras, Spain. The first is against Austria on Feb. 23, before they meet Italy on Feb. 27.
