Leeds United pair bound for Argentina at end of the season as duo join up with championship winners

The pair are set to join up with the Young Lions’ squad after their Premier League 2 play-off final appearance with Leeds next Monday, allaying fears that two important players for the Whites’ U21 group could have been missing for that tie due to international commitments.

Joseph was first called up to Ian Foster’s Under-20 squad during the March international break, scoring a brace against the United States. Gyabi, meanwhile, earns his maiden Under-20 call-up this month having impressed whilst skippering the Under-19 age group.

Both players will compete alongside several members of England’s victorious Under-19 European Championships winners of last summer, who secured qualification for this year’s junior World Cup with their performance at the Euros ten months ago.

The Young Lions will hope to replicate the team’s display in 2017 when the likes of Premier League stars Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke, Kyle Walker-Peters, Ezri Konsa and Dean Henderson defeated Venezuela in the Under-20 World Cup Final.

England did not qualify for the 2019 edition of the tournament, while 2021’s competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s World Cup had initially been awarded to Indonesia, however the Asian country was stripped of hosting responsibilities over disputes relating to objections made by local authority figures towards Israel’s participation.

England will take on Uruguay, Tunisia and Iraq in their group stage fixtures, all of which will be played in La Plata, on the outskirts of capital city Buenos Aires.

The Young Lions kick off their Under-20 World Cup Finals campaign on Monday, May 22.