Academy right-back Dylan Crowe is in the England U18s squad at the UAE Sports Chain Cup in Dubai where they play games against Japan, the Czech Republic and Mexico over the course of the next few days.

The England youngsters face Japan on Wednesday, the Czechs on Friday and then Mexico on Sunday.

Crowe has previously won two caps with the U18s having played for England teams at U15, U16 and U17 levels.

The 17-year-old, who has previously been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton, RB Leipzig, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Benfica, is yet to sign a professional contract with the Blues.

Asked what the situation is with Crowe last month, manager Paul Lambert responded: “It doesn’t matter if you’ve played for England youth team or not, it doesn’t matter. That’s no major, major claim to fame.

“If you use that for your fame, my God you’re in trouble because you’ve got miles and miles to go.

“I think that’s important for any young player, just because you train with the first team or you play in a youth level game, it’s not professional football yet. Get in the first team and play a lot of games, then it becomes reality.

“So I don’t buy into this stuff about ‘national team, youth player’. Potentially, definitely, things are there but you’re never going to achieve anything with potential, you have to produce and I think that’s important. I don’t want young kids to be big-headed or their nose goes in the air and they thing, ‘I’ve arrived’.

“You’ve not arrived until you play 10 or 15 years in the game, then you think, ‘I’ve had a decent career’.

“I don’t want that culture in the club that because you’re a youth player or you’ve trained with the first team that you think you’re a player. You’re not.”

Lambert added: “I think the club’s talking with him and his other people. As I say, sometimes agents think players are better than they really are or tell them what they want to hear.

“As long as I’m here I don’t want a culture where people think young players have arrived without earning the right. That’s one thing I’ll not put up with.”

England U18s: Luca Ashby-Hammond (Fulham), George Wickens (Fulham), Josh Griffiths (West Bromwich Albion), Vontae Daley-Campbell (Arsenal), Dylan Crowe (Ipswich Town), Cody Drameh (Fulham), Ethan Laird (Manchester United), Rhys Williams (Liverpool), Edmond-Paris Maghoma (Tottenham Hotspur), Luis Binks (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Thomas (Leicester City), James Garner (Manchester United), Clinton Mola (Chelsea), Tommy Doyle (Manchester City), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Bobby Duncan (Liverpool), Anthony Gordon (Everton), Tyreece John-Jules (Arsenal), Folarin Balogun (Arsenal), Xavier Amaechi (Arsenal).

Photo: Action Images

Linkboy13 added 20:47 - Mar 18 Strange that Crowe is getting into England squads and doesn't seem to be playing for our club . I think the club are protecting their prize asset and will be moving on next season for a big fee.
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AlexGreen added 21:16 - Mar 18 Hasn't signed a contract and doesn't look like he intends to - not sure where a big fee is coming from?
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