Micah Richards still has Tottenham star Djed Spence at the top of his list for England.
Spence is hoping to play for England at the 2026 World Cup and was recently away with his nation for international duties.
The versatile defender was caught ignoring Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank after the Lilywhites lost 1-0 to Chelsea earlier in November.
Thomas Tuchel has expressed his disappointment in Spence for the situation, with the Tottenham star possibly having to get back into the England good books once again.
However, Richards does not doubt Spence‘s involvement at the World Cup, and even swatted away suggestions for an Arsenal man instead.
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Spence has been a revelation under Frank at Spurs, and has seen most success at left-back due to Pedro Porro’s great form.
The 25-year-old defender has started nine times in the Premier League this season, helping Tottenham to fifth in the table.
Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast on Wednesday, Richards was in conversation with Gary Lineker and was adamant on Spence being England’s first-choice left-back over Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Richards said: “You know what? I’d play Djed Spence, that’s who I would play.”
Lineker then butted in: “Ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly?”
“But he [Spence] plays there consistently and is very good defensively and offensively from the left,” the former Man City star ended it with.
Spence now has a massive few months left in the Premier League season to further prove to Tuchel that he is worthy of an England spot.
Spence has time to prove his worth to Thomas Tuchel
Tuchel said that he “didn’t like” seeing Spence walking past Frank and pointed to how England players need to show more respect in the public eye, even when they aren’t representing their country.
Frank has accepted an apology from Spence and Spurs team-mate Micky van de Ven for the incident, with all seeming to be good at N17 once again.
Tottenham now play Arsenal on Sunday in what is tipped to be a fierce North London derby, with Spence needing to put on a good performance.
There isn’t another international break until March now, which leaves plenty of time for Spence to show Tuchel what he needs to bring to North America.