Rio Ferdinand makes Everton and Jarrad Branthwaite admission after new England update
Rio Ferdinand has admitted that he wasn't surprised to see Everton gem Jarrad Branthwaite left out of the England squad for Euro 2024.
The 21-year-old defender had been included in Gareth Southgate's initial preliminary squad ahead of this summer's tournament but was one of those to not make the cut for the final 26-man squad.
Although the Three Lions boss' decision has left a number of pundits and supporters baffled, TNT pundit Ferdinand insists that Branthwaite hasn't yet shown that he is capable of playing in a possession-based side.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE YouTube channel (10 June) he said: "I don't see it as a surprise.
"The way that Branthwaite has played this season he has done really well at Everton, the clean sheets they've had and just the fact that they've stayed up and he's been a main part of that is great.
"But he's defending a lot of the time on the edge of his box. England don't want to play like that, England will have the ball and he'll need to pass and start attacks and he hasn't shown that he can do that at the top level."
Will Jarrad Branthwaite leave Everton after England snub for Euro 2024?
While Branthwaite hasn't had loads of experience playing in a side that dominates possession, he has shown under Sean Dyche this season that he is one of England's best defenders when it comes to keeping the ball out of the net.
It may now be fashionable for defenders to be able to spray 40-yard passes across the pitch and breakthrough lines with the ball at their feet to start attacks, but clean sheets are what win you games in tournaments.
On form, the Everton star deserved a place in Southgate's squad this summer, but for whatever reason that hasn't happened. Whether that was the right call or not will only be discovered when the tournament gets underway in Germany.
The Toffees will now just be hoping that they can keep the defender at Goodison Park this summer as interest continues to grow around him. It may be hard, but Dyche and his team won't let him leave for a small fee.
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