England Under-21s manager Gareth Southgate has claimed that recruiting Liverpool defender Joe Gomez was the right decision for the teenager's career.
The 18-year-old, who has started all four of the Reds' Premier League games at left-back, made his U21s debut in Thursday night's 1-0 win over the USA Under-23s.
"We were aware of [Gomez], but we wanted really to try to keep that Under-19 group together if we could because it won the Euros and we wanted it to progress together, but we also need to look at what is the right challenge, individually, for the player," the Liverpool Echo quotes Southgate as saying.
"If he is playing at the level he is [with Liverpool] every week, then we felt that coming with the U21s is right for his individual development.
"His approach, the way he's carried himself around the place, and his performance on Thursday night has solidified in my mind that this is the right step for him at this moment in time."
Gomez joined Liverpool from Charlton Athletic in the summer.
Danielle Joynson
