West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has cited concerns over fatigue as the main reason why Reece Oxford was left out of England's Under-17 World Cup squad.
The 16-year-old midfielder has appeared in three Europa League and three Premier League games this season for his side.
Bilic told BBC Sport: "Reece is an exceptional talent that we have to nurture. And we need him in the first team.
"We have made a long-term plan for him to not to affect his body and his development. If we let him go for one-and-a-half months or whatever, it's no good."
England play their first World Cup match against Guinea in Chile on October 17, with the final on November 8.
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
