EXCLUSIVE

JAMIE REDKNAPP believes John Stones is the gift that can keep on giving for England this summer.

The Sky pundit has picked his England starting XI for the Euros and admits he does not envy Gareth Southgate who has got some “massive problems” because competition for places is so fierce.

But former England midfielder Redknapp said Manchester City defender Stones’ resurgence and return to form is key as it has made the team more solid.

“John Stones has been the gift that Gareth needed,” said Redknapp. “He’s solved so many problems because he’s so calm on the ball, I’ve got so much respect for John Stones because, in football terms, he’s come back from the dead. He didn’t look to have a future at Manchester City, but now he looks like one of the best defenders in Europe.

“Playing with Ruben Dias has helped him so much, John needs calmness alongside him. He’s gone back to basics by playing with someone like Dias, who does the basics so well.

“Modern-day defending went through a phase of being all about what you did on the ball. But if you look at someone like Virgil van Dijk or Dias, they also know when to clear it. There can be no doubt, when City signed Dias they wanted him to play with Aymeric Laporte and yet John Stones has forced the issue.”

Redknapp played in Euro 96 in the last home tournament when Terry Venables used a back three. England reached the semi-finals and Southgate will be desperate to go one step further.

The wing-backs are key in the 3-4-3 system and Redknapp insists that while Trent Alexander-arnold is world class it could be Chelsea’s Reece James that gets in ahead of him purely on form.

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson would also be a guaranteed starter but may be struggling to be fit in time for the Euros. Redknapp said: “If you’d have said a year ago that Trent wouldn’t be in the squad, people would think you were mad.

“If Trent thinks he’s playing well, then he’s reading it wrong.

“But if he takes this the right way then there should never be a scenario in the world where he doesn’t get picked in the squad. I feel for him because Gareth has made an example of him.

“We played a back three in Euro 96 and Kyle Walker is another big call because he’s a right-back who can also play at right centre-half. “We made it work and it’s an oldfashioned saying, but players make the system – not the other way round.”

Southgate’s biggest decision by far, according to Redknapp, is who plays alongside Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling in the front three.

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish is a huge fans’ favourite while Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden (above) give Southgate another selection dilemma.

Redknapp added: “I think Gareth will probably go with Marcus Rashford and that third position is the toughest selection of all because of the quality there.

“Football fans want to see Jack Grealish. People wanted to see a Paul Gascoigne, a player who can be a maverick, have a bit of flair, pick up the ball and run with it.

“Rashford has got credit in the bank with England, and Foden might not start the tournament but my guess is he’ll finish it.”