Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is hoping to seize an opportunity with England after Harry Kane was ruled out until April with a hamstring injury.
Abraham has starred since being handed his opportunity under Frank Lampard this season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions for Chelsea and earning his first senior caps with England – scoring a first international goal in November’s Euro 2020 qualifying win over Montenegro.
Kane’s injury is expected to keep him sidelined until April at the earliest, the England captain set to miss March’s international break where Gareth Southgate’s side will face Italy and Denmark as their preparations for next summer’s European Championships begin.
Abraham is expected to once again be included in the senior squad for the forthcoming internationals, and the 22-year-old is keen to grab any potential opportunity in Kane’s absence as he bids to establish himself as a senior international.
Tammy Abraham is the first English player to reach 15 goals across all competitions for Chelsea in a single season since Frank Lampard (17) in 2012/13.
Learning from the best. ???? pic.twitter.com/uVdcInCjEF
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 11, 2020
“Of course I look up to Harry Kane and I’m gutted he’s injured but hopefully he’ll be back for the Euros,” Abraham said, as per the Chelsea website.
“There is an opportunity and that’s the world of football but there’s a load of competition as well. I look across the board and see Marcus Rashford, Danny Ings, a lot of strikers scoring goals.
“Jamie Vardy is another talented striker, he has an eye for goal and he’s one of the players I’ve grown up loving. I’ve got to steal his ideas and make them my own but if he comes back [from international retirement], then he comes back. Hopefully, I’ll still be there either way.
“I’m always ambitious and it’s always at the back of my mind. Growing up, I always wanted to play for England and now I have the opportunity so I’ll try to grab it with two hands. There’s probably more pressure being Chelsea’s number nine but I’m enjoying myself and I just have to keep doing that.
“It’s about staying focused on Chelsea, going out there every game and doing my best, getting the wins and then I can focus on the summer with England.”
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