Darren Bent has suggested that one Newcastle United player is on the verge of being included in England’s Euro 2024 squad in the summer.
Time is running out for players to impress Gareth Southgate so this will be a big few months for those who are one the fringes of the squad and hoping to secure their seat on the plane.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent has claimed that Tino Livramento has a ‘great chance’ of making the final squad after what has been a very promising start to his career at Newcastle.
Bent says Newcastle have an ‘exciting’ talent on their hands
Many believed bringing in a young and injured defender for £32m was a huge risk, but it certainly looks to have paid off having seen how Livramento has adapted to life at Newcastle.
The 21-year-old was only just returning from an ACL injury at the back end of last season, so it wasn’t clear if he would be at the same level he was showing before he picked up his injury at Southampton.
However, he looks like a real talent and has already proved himself against some of the world’s best having faced PSG in the Champions League and Man City and Man United in the Carabao Cup.
At such a young age Livramento is only going to grow with more experience and learning from the likes of Kieran Trippier who would be able to guide him if he does have a future with England.
On the show, Bent said: “I like him. I’ve put him at left-back but he can play right-back. He spent a bit of time at Southampton and I thought I like the look of this kid. I think he’s got a great chance, exciting, can go forwards can go past people, so he’s on at left-back.”
Livramento could be considered for England
One of Livramento’s best qualities is his versatility is the ability to play down either flank which could stand him in good stead for a strong career with England.
If he was solely a right-back like he traditionally played at Southampton, there would be next to no chance of him making the squad any time soon given the depth in that position with Trippier, Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece james.
However, England are nowhere near as strong at left-back with Luke Shaw being the only obvious option at the moment as Ben Chilwell has suffered a number of injuries in the last 18 months.
If Livramento can play regularly, though he looks to still be behind Dan Burn in Eddie Howe’s thinking, then there’s certainly a chance Gareth Southgate could bring him to Germany in six months time.
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