Former Aston Villa manager, Dean Smith has suggested that defender Ezri Konsa should be playing for England given his club form.
Smith was Villa manager between 2018 and 2021 and was a huge part of the club’s revival in returning to the Premier League.
After joining from Brentford in October 2018, the English manager went on to get the Villains promoted in his first season with the club.
Having spent a net £144.5 million in the summer following promotion, the club narrowly survived on the final day against West Ham United.
This included the signing of Konsa who has gone on to make 145 appearances in the Midlands.
What has Dean Smith said about Ezri Konsa?
The Englishman also joined from Brentford for a fee in the region of £13 million.
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Konsa has had some great moments in his time at the club, including a last minute ‘assist’ against Watford in a huge win.
He has established himself as Villa’s first choice centre back over the years, even with Tyrone Mings, Diego Carlos and Pau Torres now at the club.
The defender has made 12 appearances for England youth sides but is yet to be called up by Gareth Southgate for the senior team.
This came as a surprise to Smith: “I am amazed he is not playing for England yet.
“I don’t know, in all honesty. He’s one of the standouts, for me.”
His former manager is clearly a big fan of him, signing him twice across his career.
On the former Bees man, he said: “He is a Rolls-Royce of a player. He made a big mistake against Newcastle for the second goal, but, boy, has he recovered from that. He is a top player.”
Smith takes the fact that multiple managers want to play Konsa as top praise.
Discussing that point, he said: “The fact that Steven Gerrard came in after me and kept playing him. They have brought in centre-halves since then as well.
“Now Unai Emery keeps playing him as well. That’s a sign, for me, he is rated.”
Konsa has had a great season so far and will look to build on that and strive for his first England cap.