Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has been instrumental this season.
Newcastle United legend Micky Quinn has claimed in his Evening Chronicle column that Toon captain Jamaal Lascelles is better than Manchester City defender John Stones.
Pundits are beginning to have their say on who should make Gareth Southgate’s 23-man England squad for this summer’s tournament in Russia, with England boasting plenty of options at the heart of their defence.
Stones, who reportedly earns around £110,000 a week according to the Daily Star and cost City £50million to sign from Everton in 2016, is considered Southgate’s first-choice central defender alongside the likes of Harry Maguire, James Tarkowski and Alfie Mawson.
Lascelles, 24, was overlooked by the Three Lions for the friendlies against Holland and Italy but Toon icon Quinn says he would pick the former Nottingham Forest defender over Stones at the back, if he was in charge of England.
“It actually really frustrates me that Lascelles keeps being overlooked by Gareth Southgate for England,” Quinn said.
“He is easily among the best five English centre-backs at the moment – in fact, I’d have him in the squad ahead of John Stones. I really would.”
Lascelles has been a key figure of Newcastle’s fight against relegation and has starred at the back this season, playing in every single one of the Toon’s nine Premier League wins and even scoring three goals himself.
He is likely to showcase just what he is about on Saturday once again, as the Toon travel to Leicester City as they look to confirm their place in the Premier League campaign for next season.
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