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Football London
Football London
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Elliott Jackson

Aidy Boothroyd explains why Chelsea's Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori are ready for senior call

England Under-21 manager Aidy Boothroyd has insisted that Tammy Abraham will both flourish with the senior squad after their time in the youth set-up.

The Chelsea duo have both been named in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the upcoming EURO2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

For Abraham, it's an opportunity to make his second appearance for the Three Lions, having featured in 2017, whilst Tomori is hopeful of making his debut after his call-up.

The pair have both excelled and impressed for the Blues under Frank Lampard whose youthful policy has helped the likes of Mason Mount too.

With Callum Hudson-Odoi back from injury, he is another player who will be hopeful of nailing down a spot in Southgate's squad in the coming months.

Boothroyd, who has worked with all four players during his stint as Under-21 boss, is confident Abraham and Tomori will be able to cope with the pressure of playing for the senior squad, due to their experience in the youth teams.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Coventry City boss said: "I think that's a product of the system really, the fact that we're...you can see a Tammy Abraham getting the opportunity having been in the pathway, in the development team and all the experience he's had.

"Similarly, to Fik (Fikayo Tomori) really, they've both been in the system for three or four years, had the opportunity to play European Championships, World Cups, playing at altitude, all these things that hopefully when they go up to the senior team, they are ready.

"Getting Callum back is part of that. Good players will get injuries and sometimes they need to go somewhere and we're part of his rehabilitation if you like, coming to play with us if he can get in the team which I'm sure he will.

"Playing with someone like Eddie Nketiah who has scored goals for Arsenal and in Europe is now waiting  for his opportunity at Leeds."

Hudson-Odoi made his first Premier League start of the season for Chelsea at Southampton, having recovered from an Achilles injury which kept him out since April.

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