Owen Hargreaves believes Jude Bellingham should start ahead of Kalvin Phillips at the Euros for England due to the 17-year-old's Champions League performances.
Leeds United midfielder Phillips has become a regular for Gareth Southgate this season, winning seven England caps since making his debut last September.
Yet Bellingham enjoyed an impressive cameo in last month's victory over San Marino before putting in fine displays in both legs of Borussia Dortmund's Champions League quarter-final with Manchester City.
Speaking on BT Sport, Hargreaves said Bellingham's displays in Europe's leading club competition have shown he can perform at the highest level in comparison to his rivals.
Whilst the former England midfielder says he is a big fan of both James Ward-Prowse and Phillips, he says Bellingham's experience at such a young age should give him the edge for a starting spot.
He said: "I think Rice will sit but the thing with Jude is he's not a defensive midfielder but he's not a No. 10.
"We've got a lot of 10s and we've got Declan Rice but I don't think anyone is the link in between them.
"He can go box-to-box and can defend and he's good on the ball. He gives you something the other boys don't have.
"If he's playing at this level, he's only 17, but he's playing in the Champions League.
"I love James Ward-Prowse but he's not playing in this type of game. Kalvin Phillips, I like him, but he's not playing in this type of game either.
"He's proven he can do it at this level and I think he's earned the right to be in the conversation regardless of his age."
