Fabio Capello is considering naming a group of England's most talented youngsters in the squad to face France next week.
The Italian has already decided to hand a first call-up to Newcastle striker Andy Carroll, 21, but is also weighing up the merits of several other youngsters for the friendly at Wembley.
The England Under 21 squad named by Stuart Pearce on Thursday featured four notable omissions - Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Arsenal prodigy Jack Wilshere, Blackburn's Phil Jones, and Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge - and all four are now in contention for the senior group, which Capello is due to name on Saturday evening.
Pearce, whose side face Germany in a friendly in Wiesbaden on Tuesday, said that one or more of the four may be given a rest after helping England qualify for next summer's UEFA Under 21 Championship, but Capello has indicated he sees the France game as a chance to experiment with new players.
Carroll is being drafted into a squad desperately short of firepower with Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent and Bobby Zamora all injured.
Pearce meanwhile called up Chelsea's 17-year-old midfielder Josh McEachran for the first time, as predicted by Sportsmail last week.
Pearce said: 'It's only a small squad but we want to make sure that everyone can get some game time. Fabio picking one or two to step up into the seniors might mean we'll be short of a few, so it's given me an opportunity to look at some who are not playing regularly at their clubs and need to get some football with us.'
UNDER 21 squadGoalkeepers: Fielding (Blackburn, on loan at Derby), Steele (Middlesbrough).
Defenders: Bertrand (Chelsea, on loan at Nottm Forest), Kelly (Liverpool), Mancienne (Chelsea, on loan at Wolves), Richards (Man City), Smalling (Man Utd), Walker (Tottenham, on loan at QPR), Mee (Man City).
Midfielders: Albrighton (A Villa), Cleverley (Man Utd, on loan at Wigan), Cork (Chelsea, on loan at Burnley), Lansbury (Arsenal), McEachran (Chelsea), Muamba (Bolton), Rodwell (Everton), Rose (Tottenham, on loan at Bristol C).
Forwards: Delfouneso (A Villa), Sinclair (Swansea), Welbeck (Man Utd, on loan at Sunderland).
Martin Samuel: Carroll brings aggro, so this is Capello's leap of faithRooney set to miss England friendly against France under orders of Sir AlexJoey Barton charged by FA after Newcastle bad boy's 'punch' on Blackburn's Morten Gamst PedersenGazza spared prison as he checks into rehab to put drink driving case on hold
Explore more:People: Fabio Capello, Andy Carroll, Darren Bent, Wayne Rooney, Jack Wilshere, Bobby Zamora, Stuart Pearce, Jermain Defoe, Daniel Sturridge Places: Newcastle, Liverpool, Bristol, United Kingdom, France, Germany
Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail