Jonjo Shelvey is the man to give England a much-needed spark, says former Newcastle United and Tottenham winger Chris Waddle.
But fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for a recall for the controversial midfielder.
England may have qualified for the World Cup last night, but their laboured 1-0 win over Slovenia thanks to Harry Kane’s late goal left many pundits and supporters concerned about the side’s direction under Gareth Southgate.
But Waddle feels they have a player in Shelvey who can unlock defences with his range of passing – something the national side are badly lacking at the moment.
“People knock me down when I say it, but Jonjo Shelvey is the best I’ve seen at passing the ball at distance,” he told BBC Radio 5Live.
“But he won’t get in the squad for reasons we don’t know.”
Shelvey has just returned to United’s starting line-up after picking up a three-match suspension for a red card in the opening game of the season against Spurs.
However few doubt that he has the talent to add to his six England caps, and Waddle believes England are crying out for some creative talent.
“(England) Performances over the last two or three games are not good enough to do well in Russia,” he added.
“There is a lot of work to be done. We definitely need to find a quality midfield player who has got a range of passing which can help this side.
“Going forward, I don’t think England are too bad, but they need supply.”