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New England Under-21 head coach Gareth Southgate has handed a first call-up to 18-year-old Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for the Euro 2015 qualifiers against Moldova and Finland.

Tottenham defender Zeki Fryers, 20, is also part of the 25-man squad for the first time.

Manchester United midfielder Nick Powell, 19, returns for the first time since November 2012 and team-mate Wilfried Zaha drops down from the senior squad.

The double-header will be Southgate's first matches in charge since succeeding Stuart Pearce last week.

Pearce left the role in June following a disappointing European Championship.

Ex-England defender Southgate was previously the Football Association's head of elite development, leaving the post in July 2012.

England Under-21s face Moldova on Thursday, 5 September at Reading's Madejski Stadium in their opening 2015 European Championship qualifier, then take on Finland in Tampere four days later.

England manager Roy Hodgson took charge of the last under-21 game, a 6-0 defeat of Scotland at Bramall Lane.

England Under-21 squad to face Moldova and Finland:

Goalkeepers: Jonathan Bond (Watford), Jack Butland (Stoke City), George Long (Sheffield United).

Defenders: Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon), Ezekiel Fryers (Tottenham Hotspur), Todd Kane (Blackburn Rovers, loan from Chelsea), Michael Keane (Manchester United), Jack Robinson (Blackpool, loan from Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Southampton), John Stones (Everton), Tom Thorpe (Manchester United), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Tom Carroll (Tottenham Hotspur), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Will Hughes (Derby County), Nick Powell (Manchester United), Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea City), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).

Wingers: Sammy Ameobi (Newcastle United), Jesse Lingaard (Manchester United), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United).

Forwards: Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Connor Wickham (Sunderland).