Arsenal teenager Jack Wilshere could be set to for a shock senior England call-up.
Wilshere has not been included in the England Under-21 squad to face Holland in Groningen next Tuesday. Stuart Pearce, the Under-21 manager, chose not to call-up the 17-year-old, who impressed in the recent pre-season Emirates Cup and has been tipped as having an outside chance of playing for the seniors in the World Cup at the end of the campaign.
Wilshere's Arsenal teammate Theo Walcott is available for Pearce but is not established in Fabio Capello's seniors.
Pearce expects his youngsters to relish being watched by Capello and his staff.
"We're one step away from a senior international cap and that's there for all to see. Over the last period there have been seven or eight players that have been in both squads, which is fantastic. It shows these players that they have every opportunity."
England Under-21 squad (friendly v Holland next week in Groningen):
Frankie Fielding (Blackburn), Scott Loach (Watford); Ryan Bertrand (Reading), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Michael Mancienne (Chelsea), Kyle Naughton (Tottenham), Micah Richards (Man City), James Tomkins (West Ham), Chris Smalling (Fulham); Lee Cattermole (Wigan), Fabien Delph (Aston Villa), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham); Andy Carroll (Newcastle), Freddie Sears (Crystal Palace), Junior Stanislas (West Ham), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), James Vaughan (Everton).