Gareth Southgate has suggested that Kalvin Phillips is unlikely to make his full England debut against Iceland on Saturday.
The Leeds United midfielder was called into the Three Lions' senior squad for the first time ahead of their doubleheader of UEFA Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark.
Phillips is competing for a place at the base of England's midfield with West Ham United's Declan Rice and Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier.
The 24-year-old is the first Leeds player to receive any International recognition since Alan Smith in 2004.
However, when quizzed on Phillips' chances of starting on Saturday against Iceland, Southgate appeared to pour cold water on the prospects of seeing him the initial XI.
"The nice thing is that we have eight matches across the autumn and in an ideal world you would bring players in to help and settle into the group and adapt to the way that we play," Southgate told the press ahead of their Nations League clash with Iceland.
"He has a really, really clearly defined role with his club and in any club you can play as a midfield pivot but there are slightly different requirements in any team.
"I think for him to be able to work with the other players, be comfortable socially with the group, they have welcomed him really well and he has constantly got a smile on his face and is a really engaging character.
"Technically he has adapted perfectly and that has not surprised us because we have seen his performances.
"I am not certain we would start him tomorrow but I think we have got no hesitation about putting him into the team or bringing him into the game and he is one that we feel as the season progresses and he gets more Premier League experience, that he will adapt even more quickly.
"It also brings more out of some of the others in that position as well, you can see that in training.
"We have brought Phil Foden in, Mason Greenwood, Kalvin Phillips - all of a sudden the other players in those positions know that they are good players coming in and that puts some more urgency into their game.
"There are huge benefits to those sort of players being with the squad."
