Tottenham defender Eric Dier has been omitted from the England squad for the European Under-21 Championship in the Czech Republic.
Manager Gareth Southgate had to trim his 27-man squad to 23 on Tuesday to meet the UEFA deadline for this month's tournament.
Dier is the highest-profile omission with Wolves striker Benik Afobe, Chelsea forward Patrick Bamford and Cauley Woodrow, of Fulham, also left out from the original squad.
Tottenham's Harry Kane and Saido Berahino, of West Brom, and Burnley's Danny Ings are all included in a squad which will see England play against Portugal, Sweden and Italy in the group stages.
Southgate suggested Dier had missed out because the 21-year-old full-back or central defender was young enough to take part for the under-21s again next term.
"Eric was a difficult one," Southgate told the official Football Association website.
"That's because we've got five very good centre-backs in that initial squad.
"Eric was last involved in the play-off game in Croatia and part of my thinking was that out of those five, Eric can be part of the U21s squad again next season.
"For the others, it's their last opportunity so I'm very much looking at Eric as being one of our leaders next campaign and really taking ownership of the position on the field."
Source: PA
