SAINTS full-back Ryan Bertrand has been called up to the England squad for the 2016 UEFA European Championships qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.

Bertrand has just returned from a knee injury and played his first full game of the season for Saints in the 3-1 win over Swansea City on Saturday.

With former Saints man Luke Shaw and Leighton Baines both out injured, Bertrand has got the nod for Roy Hodgson's team that will face Estonia on October 9 at Wembley and Lithuania three days later.

The 26-year-old will have the opportunity to add to the four caps he already has.

He has appeared twice for England while at Saints, having played in the 1-1 draw with Italy in March and then the 0-0 draw with the Republic of Ireland in June.

Ahead of his return from injury, Saints manager Ronald Koeman admitted that he believed that Bertrand would be in the running for Hodgson's team if he could prove his fitness.

“Ryan was already in the second part of last season two times selected for the national team,” Koeman said earlier this month.

“Of course he’s one of the candidates for the national coach we know, and it’s up to the player to show his level and to be a part of the national team.”

The Three Lions have already qualified for the competition in France next summer.

Meanwhile Saints trio James Ward-Prowse, Jack Stephens, who is on loan at Middlesbrough, and Matt Targett have been named in the England Under-21s squad for their upcoming 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier with Kazakhstan.

The England senior team to face Estonia and Lithuania​:

Jack Butland, Joe Hart, Tom Heaton, Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Michael Carrick, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonjo Shelvey, Raheem Sterling, Danny Ings, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Jamie Vardy, Theo Walcott.