England Under-21s have been dealt a double blow with the news that Mason Holgate and Harry Winks have been forced to withdraw from the squad to face Romania and Ukraine.

Aidy Boothroyd's side are looking to move closer to qualification for the Under-21 European Championship in 2019, but two potential starters will miss out over the coming week.

Both players have sustained ankle injuries, with Everton defender Holgate required to undergo minor surgery on the issue before being considered ready to return to action with the Toffees.

Winks has suffered with an ankle problem for a number of months, with Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino recently acknowledging that the injury had hindered the player's progress this season.

The fixture with Romania is a friendly, but the encounter with Ukraine comes in Group 4 of qualifying with England currently holding a five-point lead at the top of the standings.