Gareth Southgate is hoping to road test his World Cup master plan by looking at Eric Dier in England’s back three during the friendlies against Holland and Italy.

The Tottenham player, who could captain England again with Harry Kane out through injury and Gary Cahill dropped, has mainly been deployed as a deep-lying midfielder for his country.

But England manager Southgate, whose options at the back have been complicated by poor form, injuries and Cahill losing his Chelsea place, believes Dier could excel in a back three and free up more creativity in midfield. John Stones and Harry Maguire seem likely to retain their places, but Dier could slot into the middle of them to give England greater tactical options.

Southgate called up Joe Gomez, Alfie Mawson and James Tarkowski alongside Stones and Maguire with Dier listed among his midfielders.

Gomez may well be given a chance to impress after doing so well in the last friendlies against Germany and Brazil. But moving Dier back is an option Southgate ideally wants to look at before England travel to Russia, as long as he can find the right replacement in midfield.