Jose Mourinho tips Jude Bellingham to play ahead of Kalvin Phillips in qualifiers
Jose Mourinho has suggested that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips should be dropped from England XI for World Cup qualifiers.
The 25-year-old played in all of the seven games of the European Championship for Gareth Southgate’s side, starting every match and missing just 25 minutes of action.
Phillips formed a brilliant partnership with West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, but Mourinho believes Jude Bellingham and the Hammers ace should be playing together during the qualifiers.
“Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice always started and in the last few games Jordan Henderson came on, but Bellingham is there when you need more than that,” the Roma boss told The Sun.
“He’s one step ahead in terms of quality, in risk-taking and goalscoring potential. If you want two positional players keeping it simple that’s Rice and Phillips. Bellingham is more than that.
“I think the future will be Bellingham and Rice in qualification matches, where the level of opposition is completely different and you can develop different styles of play.”
Incredible
Having established himself as a starter for the Three Lions at the Euros, we do not see the Leeds ace losing his spot anytime soon.
However, things can change quickly within a number of months, and we have to agree that the Borussia Dortmund kid could be giving England midfielders a run for their money in the coming months given his huge potential.
Phillips will need to keep improving going forward if he wants to continue starting for his country, and we trust him to do just that.
The Yorkshire hero has gone from playing in the Championship to starring for his country at the Euros within 12 months, and much more can be expected from him going forward.
Nevertheless, when Mourinho speaks, you should listen, and we reckon his place in the Three Lions team would continuously be under constant threat.
The fierce competition for playing opportunities with the national team should spur him on and make him better for Leeds, and head coach Marcelo Bielsa surely has some pointers for him when he returns to Thorp Arch for pre-season preparations.
In other Leeds news, Whites ready bid to sign one of the best goalkeepers in Euro league.