By Graham Hill
JACK Grealish has been tipped to be one of four young English stars to make real progress under Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions next season.
Grealish has been denied a way through to the full England squad because he has spent the last three seasons in the Championship with Villa.
But John Cross in The Mirror says the Villa skipper, plus Tottenham’s Harry Winks, Leicester midfielder James Maddison and Liverpool’s Joe Gomez are all expected to play key roles for England in the coming years.
Many Villa fans felt Grealish would have improved England’s midfield in the Nations Legaue defeat by Holland in midweek.
And now that Villa are playing in the top flight, Grealish is expected to finally make the step up to full international level.
The Mirror says Southgate – a former Villa skipper himself – is also known to be a big fan of Grealish, 23.
It was Grealish’s return from injury that sparked a Villa revival that eventually led to promotion by winning the Championship Play-off Final.
Southgate raised eyebrows with his comment that Grealish was not ready for the England squad while he was not playing in the Premier League.
But fans pointed out that Jack Butland kept his spot despite being with relegated Stoke City. And the England side that collapsed on Thursday contained players such as Fabian Delph and John Stones who are not first team regulars with Manchester City.
Villa Roar 