For Gareth Southgate, the falling numbers of English players being picked regularly in the Premier League, even after the greatest England World Cup finals performance for 28 years, mean that he cannot discount anyone, although for Jack Wilshere there was no good news.

The 26-year-old has moved to West Ham to resurrect his career at club and international level, but this week Southgate made it clear, as politely as possible, that so far Wilshere has not reached the required standard. Asked what Wilshere had to do to earn a recall, Southgate said simply: “Play well.” He added: “I’ve watched two of his first three games, so the same as every other player. They’ve got to be playing well and the competition is high.”

The England manager has chosen not to dip into the Under-21s talent pool for the games against Spain on Saturday and Switzerland three days later, although it was notable that his preference will always be for those who are playing. More than once he mentioned Chelsea’s on-loan attacker Mason Mount, who has had a strong start to his second season away from the mothership on loan at Derby County under Frank Lampard and Jody Morris.

Mount is in Aidy Bothroyd’s Under-21s squad, picked ahead of the likes of Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, who might even have been candidates for the senior squad but, in the case of Foden, have not been playing for their club sides. Mount, 19, on the other hand, has played every one of Derby’s seven league and cup games this season and has made himself impossible to ignore.

For Southgate, there is an admiration for any player who is prepared to move in order to get game time, which Mount has done after a successful year with Vitesse Arnhem in the Eredivisie. “He had a year in Holland which went really well and he is now in his second year of competitive football at a good level. He obviously trained with us [senior team] in the summer.

Mason Mount has impressed Southgate who wouldn't be afraid of picking a player from the Championship credit: Getty Images

“He is a player we really like and because of those first-team experiences he is going to progress faster than others who maybe aren’t getting those experiences. He is also of the mentality we like – he’s a super kid. He is one that has not been mentioned as much as others who have not got to his level yet.”

Southgate says that in the future he could not rule out picking a Championship player although it is clear that it is not what he wants to do.

What he is keen to see is players going in pursuit of competitive football to further their own development rather than staying lost in an overstaffed Premier League squad. “I think it’s an absolute positive step what he [Mount] is doing this season. For 18 to 19 year olds his level of progression is fine. It is the 21 to 22 years old who aren’t playing at all that I worry we might lose who might be exceptional players.”

It is why Southgate has also approached Declan Rice about switching allegiance to England having already played three times for the Republic of Ireland, prompting Martin O’Neill to leave the West Ham player out his latest squad to give him time to think. Southgate said that he had spoken to Rice and that he was mindful of the difficult situation the London-born 19-year-old now found himself in, with opinion turning against him in Ireland.

Declan Rice has a difficult decision to make, says Southgate credit: Reuters

Southgate said: “All countries are across the dual nationality situation. It’s incredibly complex. We have always had players that have switched from youth level. We have seen the likes of Ethan Ampadu [declare for Wales] and David Brooks played for England and Wales in one summer. That landscape is there for everybody and you know that some of those decisions will fall in your favour and some will go the other way.

“It would be wrong of us to be arrogant and think people will just play for us because we are England, but really I think when you invest in a player at a younger level you hope there is an emotional tie formed. All I would say for Declan is I think the boy is in a really difficult position now and I’m extremely conscious of that. He has to make a decision. I think it’s important that he is allowed that opportunity.”

Southgate said that while Harry Maguire had been one of the standout player of England’s World Cup if there was to be a move away from Leicester City then it would have to be right for the club as well as the player.

Maguire was the subject of interest from Manchester United during the summer. And Southgate said that he had “apologised” to the club’s director of football Jon Rudkin. “I said, look you’re going to probably get a lot of interest but at least we’ve doubled his value.”