Once you have subscribed we will use the email you provided to send you the newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the newsletter email.

England‘s 2022 World Cup adventure is drawing ever closer.

Their opening Group B clash against Iran is now just over two months away as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his final squad for the global carnival.

The upcoming international break is going to be crucial for Southgate and co. as they finalise who will be on the plane to Qatar.

The selection of a World Cup squad is always one of the hottest debates among fans and experts alike with everyone sharing their opinion on what would be the best way to approach the tournament.

Of course, the likes of Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford are all but guaranteed their place but there will be dozens of English dreamers fighting tooth and nail to book their spot in that squad.

England’s XI based purely on stats from this season would make for an exciting line-up that would have a genuine chance of going very deep into the tournament.

But what if the side was selected based purely on the most valuable English player for each position?

Using the handy data tools on TransferMarkt, we were able to put together that exact side and, well, it turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag.

Pickford often saves his best performances for an England shirt and will be hoping to have the same sort of impact in Qatar.

LB: Ben Chilwell: £34.2 million CB: Fikayo Tomori: £45 million CB: Ben White: £36 million RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold: £72 million

While this would be a pretty exciting defensive line-up going forward, you can’t help it would be a bit of a liability when it came to actual defending.

CM: Phil Foden: £81 million CM: Jude Bellingham: £72 million CAM: Mason Mount: £67.5 million

The midfield would be the biggest point of concern. While all three players are incredibly talented footballers in their own right, you can’t help but feel that, as a trio in the engine room, they would really struggle.

LF: Jadon Sancho: £67.5 million RF: Bukayo Saka: £63 million ST: Harry Kane: £81 million

Another exciting little trio but you can be sure it won’t be Southgate’s first choice. Kane will, of course, lead the line, but who the England boss picks as the captain’s attacking lieutenants is another question entirely.

Here for all things Boxing, UFC, Tennis, F1, Cricket and Golf. Thanks to several zoom quizzes, can officially say I know more about sport than the average gran. Unified Table Tennis champion of my flat. 

© 2022 Sports New Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.