West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has cited concerns over fatigue as the main reason why Reece Oxford was left out of England's Under-17 World Cup squad.
The 16-year-old midfielder has appeared in three Europa League and three Premier League games this season for his side.
Bilic told BBC Sport: "Reece is an exceptional talent that we have to nurture. And we need him in the first team.
"We have made a long-term plan for him to not to affect his body and his development. If we let him go for one-and-a-half months or whatever, it's no good."
England play their first World Cup match against Guinea in Chile on October 17, with the final on November 8.
