Ashley Williams axed by Ryan Giggs

Wales coach Ryan Giggs has decided to leave captain Ashley Williams out of his squad for the Euro 2020 qualifier against Azerbaijan in Cardiff next month. The former Swansea City man is without a club after being released by Everton in the summer.

He is determined to carry on playing, and the 34-year-old now looks set to join Championship club Bristol City. Williams has been capped 86 times by Wales, and he led the team to the semi-finals of the European Championships in 2016.

However, he will now watch next month’s qualifier from home as Giggs assesses his options ahead of Euro 2020. Swansea City’s Joe Rodon, Wigan’s Kiefer Moore and Lincoln’s Joe Morrell are the three uncapped players names in Giggs’ 26-man squad.

Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett also misses out, but Aaron Ramsey is back fit and ready to go after a recent injury. The former Arsenal man made his debut for Juventus this month, and he claims he may need a few games to reach full fitness.

Ramsey told BBC Sport last weekend: “This was a very proud moment for me to put on this famous jersey. “I know I haven’t had the minutes on the pitch, apart from tonight, but I feel good physically. It will take a few games to get there.”

Ramsey will be joined in the squad by Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale, and his future looks to have been solved after he played in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Celta Vigo. Giggs has yet to name a captain officially, but Bale is in line to skipper Wales once again.