Dier a high flyer
ERIC DIER has emerged as one of the most important and in-demand players in the country this season.
He is vital to England and Tottenham – and is wanted by Manchester United, who have already failed to sign him with a £50million bid this year.
Whether he plays for the Three Lions in Tuesday night’s friendly against France in Paris or is rested after a demanding campaign, Dier is a key element in the long-term planning of national boss Gareth Southgate.
And that is because Dier, 23, is something of a rarity – an English defensive midfield player.
The role he plays explains why he is so highly valued by Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and also why he is coveted by United boss Jose Mourinho.
England chief Southgate admits he is searching for back-up to Dier in that position.
He has considered players across the spectrum and age brackets, including Hull City’s Sam Clucas, 26, who is a late developer at the higher levels of the game.
And Southgate has also thought about a return for veteran Michael Carrick, 35, who last played for England in 2015.
He said: “We have a lot of competition in the more advanced positions in midfield but we’ve not got great cover in deeper positions in that department.
“And at the moment, through injuries, there is no Jack Wilshere and no Fabian Delph.
“I’m a huge Carrick fan but we need now to put others in those positions and give them the chance to solve the problem looking at the longer term. There aren’t many English players in those positions in the Premier League. Certainly not of that profile. We’ve got players who use the ball well – Clucas at Hull, for example.
“He’s another good footballer but not with the defensive profile that Dier has.
“We have really good cover in most positions but defensive midfield is an area where we’re a little short.”
Chelsea’s Nathaniel Chalobah has long been on Southgate’s radar, as first revealed in the Daily Star Sunday.
And he has the perfect player at Stamford Bridge to learn the defensive midfield role from in N’Golo Kante, the double footballer of the year.
Kante has just won the Premier League title in successive seasons with Leicester and Chelsea but Southgate admits Chalobah, 22, needs to be playing more first- team football in order to be considered for a starting place in the senior England side.
The boss added: “We know all about Nathaniel from the Under-21s and the best place for him to be this summer is with them.
“It’s difficult for him at Chelsea because he’s got Kante, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas ahead of him.
“He earned the trust of Antonio Conte to put him in some games, but, of course, Chelsea didn’t have European football this season so there wasn’t the need to rotate the squad so much.
“Next season’s a really big one for him because he has that profile of physical attributes as well as being able to use the ball well.
“Nathaniel has had a few loan moves but I trust that Chelsea will make the decision that’s right for them – and Nathaniel, of course.”