England manager Gareth Southgate has admitted that his desire to create competition for places in the defensive-midfield role was a key factor in him deciding to give Kalvin Phillips his first Three Lions call-up.
The Leeds United midfielder was named in Southgate's 24-man squad on Tuesday for next month's Uefa Nations League fixtures with Iceland and Denmark.
Southgate has been keeping tabs on Phillips a lot inside the last 12 months and has now rewarded the Whites academy graduate with his first call-up to the England side, something which will mean everything to him and his family.
Though England are well-stocked for central-midfield options as a whole, only West Ham United's Declan Rice is the same type of player as Phillips to have made Southgate's squad this time around.
Shortly after his squad was revealed, Southgate delivered a message on why he had made the decision to include the Whites academy graduate in his squad for the very first time.
"I think he is a player that we have watched a lot in the last 12 months in particular with Leeds," Southgate said in a video shared by England's official Twitter account. "I think they have had an outstanding way of playing.
"The position he plays is a position where we need competition for places and the way that he plays the role and the way that he has been coached in the role is clear to see.
"It is an exciting moment for him. I spoke to him this morning (Tuesday) which was a nice reminder of what it means to somebody to be in their first England squad.
"It is a proud moment for him, his family and his club."
Phillips' inclusion in the England squad may come as a slight concern to Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa, though, with the Whites poised to kick-off their Premier League campaign just four days after England's clash with Denmark in Copenhagen, meaning he will be hoping the midfield-enforcer picks up no injury concerns.
