MIDDLESBROUGH goalkeeper Jason Steele is expected to be named in the final England Under-21 squad for this summer’s European Championships in Denmark on Monday.

Coach Stuart Pearce was set to name his final 23-man squad yesterday, but the Football Association revealed the announcement will be made after the final round of Premier League matches this weekend.

Earlier this month Steele was one of four goalkeepers named in Pearce’s provisional 40-man squad for this summer’s tournament, along with Blackburn’s Frankie Fielding, Reading’s Alex McCarthy and Watford’s Scott Loach.

However, Loach revealed on Wednesday that he had not made the final 23, despite beginning the side’s qualifying campaign as number one.

With Pearce likely to take three keepers to Denmark, it looks increasingly likely that Steele will link up with the squad ahead of their first group game on June 12 against Spain.

If he is selected, it will be an excellent end to Steele’s first season in first-team football after the Newton Aycliffeborn stopper broke into Gordon Strachan’s starting XI at the beginning of the campaign.

Since then, Steele’s performances have attracted several admirers, with a number of Premier League clubs sending scouts to watch him, but Boro acted quickly and offered him a four-and-ahalf year deal, which he signed in December.

His displays also alerted Pearce, who handed the 20- year-old his Under-21 debut against Germany in November.

Steele is no stranger to the international scene though, having represented his country at Under-16, Under- 17, and Under-19 level.

Steele’s Boro team-mate Joe Bennett will also find out on Monday if he has made the final squad after he also enjoyed a breakthrough season.

The defender received his first Under-21 call-up earlier this year against Italy, but it came to an abrupt end when he suffered a dead leg.

Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, who was named the club’s young player of the year on Wednesday, is the other North-East based player waiting to find out if he will be on the place to Denmark.

But Andy Carroll’s participation is uncertain.

Pearce has already informed at least two players of their fate.

Aside from Loach revealing he had not made the cut, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirme Jack Wilshere’s selection.

So it is fair to assume the vast majority of the 40-man provisional party named by Pearce have also been made aware of whether they have made the final 23.

But the is speculation over the inclusion of Liverpool striker Carroll, following reports he had expressed concern about taking part in the finals in Denmark.

The 22-year-old, who has endured an injury-hit second half of the season, is said to have questioned whether tournament football could do him more harm than good ahead of the new campaign.

Like Wenger, Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has suggested he is not in favour of players being drafted back into the under-21 fold after graduating to the senior set-up.

Wenger has also expressed concern about 19-year-old Wilshere suffering burnout as result of the number of games he has played for club and country this season.

Both Wilshere and Carroll are expected to be named in the senior squad against Switzerland at Wembley, meaning they would miss the Under-21s’ pre-tournament training camp.

England’s Under-21 Championship campaign begins on June 12 and they will play three games in eight days, and five in 15 days if they reach the final.