SOUTHAMPTON-born footballer and former Saints defender Ella Morris has suffered an ACL injury in training during her first England camp.

SO-raised Morris, 22, departed Saints for Tottenham Hotspur in June 2024 and has this year earned her first call-up to the Lionesses.

Morris represented England's youth teams while at Saints, where she was second-place in the 2022/23 Championship Player of the Year award.

She also helped Saints to win promotion twice to get out of the National League and into the Championship for the first time during her St Mary's spell.

However, disaster has struck in the popular professional's first England camp, suffering an ACL injury in training ahead of her potential debut.

England have confirmed that Morris will return to Spurs for rehabilitation, and has been replaced in the squad by Laura Blindkilde Brown.

They said: "England’s support team will remain in close contact with her. Everyone involved with the Lionesses wishes Ella the very best."

The Lionesses take on Portugal and Spain in Nations League matches over the next week, ahead of the European Championships in July.

Morris was in line to potentially make a dream England debut and could have forced her way into Sarina Wiegman's plans for the tournament.