Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour has weighed in on England’s midfield options for the upcoming Euros, advocating for Jack Grealish to start ahead of Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Tottenham’s James Maddison.
Parlour, now a television pundit, was tasked with selecting his ideal front six for the tournament, highlighting the abundance of talent available to manager Gareth Southgate.
He chose Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka for the wide positions, with Harry Kane leading the line. Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham were deemed as certainties in midfield, leaving one spot open.
While Grealish typically operates as a left winger under manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Parlour believes he possesses the versatility to thrive as a No. 8.
Despite competition from Palmer and Maddison, Parlour asserts that Grealish’s dynamic skill set and ability to track back make him a strong midfield candidate.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Parlour stated, “On his day, do you know who’d I go with, when he’s really at it? Grealish… I think Grealish can play in that midfield, he can track back.”
Euro 2024: Parlour favours Man City star to start ahead of Palmer for England
