“Looking outside the current squad, there are not exactly many English defensive midfielders excelling in the Premier League. But in Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips, I see someone who could force his way into Southgate’s reckoning.
“He has been outstanding for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, and has a number of really good attributes. I like his positional sense, he’s a very good tackler, and his distribution both long and short is fantastic.
“Yes, Phillips has never played in the Premier League. But I don’t have an issue with that at all. There were plenty of clubs in for him over the summer, and he would undoubtedly be playing in the top tier now if Leeds hadn’t done everything to keep hold of him.
“In calling up Mason Mount last October, when he was on loan at Derby from Chelsea, Southgate has shown he is not afraid to select a Championship player.
