Graeme Souness backs Jonjo Shelvey for England recall

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 01 October 2017

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has all the required abilities to add to his six England caps in the future, according to Graeme Souness.

Graeme Souness has claimed that Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is deserving of a place in the England squad as long as he 'gets his act together'.

The 25-year-old played a pivotal role on Sunday afternoon as the Magpies held his former Liverpool side to a 1-1 draw at St James' Park.

Shelvey was starting his first game since the opening-day red card against Tottenham Hotspur, shown to him after needlessly standing on Dele Alli's ankle in an off-the-ball incident.

However, Souness believes that the Charlton Athletic academy product has the required abilities to add to his six England caps ahead of next year's World Cup finals.

"I'm going to say something daft but if he got his act together there would be a shout for him to get back into the England squad," he told Sky Sports News. "There are lots of midfielders who are about possession but he wants to hurt you all the time [with a pass].

"A modern midfield player gets away with murder these days because they are allowed to go sideways and the stats say they have kept the ball all day. He has an edge to him, which I love in a player. Sometimes he has more than an edge and he has to get that out of his game.

"At 25 he must have learned his lesson. There's so much to like about him and he's got so much to offer - he will stand up to someone, he has a pass, he has technique - but he has the exploding head he must control."

Shelvey scored five goals and registered eight assists last season to help Newcastle earn promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking.