Gareth Southgate advises Will Hughes to stay at Derby County

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate has warned Will Hughes that he should stay with current club Derby County, despite rumoured interest from other teams.

The 18-year-old midfielder, who has won six caps for the Under-21s, has reportedly attracted the attention of several Premier League sides.

However, Southgate believes that Hughes should look to develop his game at Derby under head coach Steve McClaren.

"Will is a very mature boy, a sensible boy. I think he is somebody who just loves his football. You can see on the field his personality comes out, he is smiling with referees and with the opposition," Southgate told the Derby Telegraph.

"So if he is able to put everything else to one side, that is perfect. He doesn't strike me as the type to become distracted. He is a young player who we are all very excited about.

"I'm sure he realises, at his age, Derby County is a great place to be."

Hughes has made 33 appearances for Derby this season, scoring four goals in the process.