England Under-21s manager Gareth Southgate has claimed that Eric Dier will play a key role in his side's future.
Dier was one of the four players omitted from the final squad for this summer's European Championship, but Southgate insists that he is keen to continue working with the Tottenham Hotspur defender.
"Eric was a difficult one," he told reporters. "That's because we've got five very good centre-backs in that initial squad.
"Eric was last involved in the playoff game in Croatia and part of my thinking was that out of those five, Eric can be part of the Under-21s squad again next season.
"For the others, it's their last opportunity so I'm very much looking at Eric as being one of our leaders next campaign and really taking ownership of the position on the field."
Southgate's side will play their final warm-up game on June 11 against Belarus before flying out to the Czech Republic three days later.
Callum Mulvihill
