Patrick Bamford told Sky Sports News on Wednesday that Liverpool and West Ham duo, Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice, are ‘top, top players’.
The Leeds United hitman was comparing them to his club teammate, Kalvin Phillips, and was analysing how England are pretty strong in the defensive-midfield department.
All three players – Phillips, Rice and Henderson – will be heading to the Euros this summer and vying for those all-important number eight spots.
But it seems as though Rice has the edge over Phillips in Gareth Southgate’s plans, whilst Henderson is still returning from injury, so it remains to be seen just how many minutes he sees from the bench.
Nonetheless, this is what Bamford had to say about Phillips and his England teammates.
“Leeds born and raised,” said Bamford. “He kind of epitomises the club. Every time he goes out, he gives 100%.
“I have seen since I got here, and playing against him before I arrived at Leeds, the way that he has grown as a player. He has turned into I think one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League.
“We have got him, Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice, who are all top, top players. It shows the strength.
“But I think Kalvin, he definitely offers something special to that England squad.”
Bamford will feel unfortunate that he’s wasn’t even part of the 33-man squad that Southgate selected for the Euros, before cutting it down to 26.
Harry Kane was the only Englishman to score more goals than the ex-Chelsea academy product, which goes to show how unlucky he was in missing out.
But it’s a case of laying down the marker again from Bamford’s perspective, and if he can do that then there’s no way Southgate will be able to ignore him any longer.
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