Thomas Tuchel has already begun preparing England for its campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and former Three Lions defender Phil Jones has highlighted three young stars he thinks can make an impact. Tuchel's first game in charge of England is scheduled for March 21 against Albania at Wembley, and the German is already weighing up some surprise squad picks this year. Reports suggest that the German could select senior squad member Jude Bellingham's younger brother, Jobe, one of the Championship's star midfielders, playing his trade at Sunderland.

However, former Three Lions star Jones, who competed at the 2018 World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals but lost to Croatia, believes three rising Premier League stars are primed to make an immediate impact in Tuchel's reign. Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap has eight Premier League goals for the league strugglers, and his impressive attributes make him one of the leading long-term successors for England captain Harry Kane, who may play his last World Cup at 33 years old next year.

Elsewhere, technical midfielders Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest and Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa are both favourites of Jones. "Liam Delap [is a player I like]. I've watched Morgan Rodgers a lot," Jones told Mirror Football ahead of March's Golf Icons Series. "I love the way he plays; I love how powerful and aggressive he is with the ball. "I think his game against Manchester City at Villa Park really stood out for me. I knew he was a good player at Middlesbrough under Michael Carrick, I knew the talent that he had, but I think that moment and that game really stood out in my mind that this guy can go all the way to the top. So, I'm excited to see his progression.

"And also, you've got Morgan Gibbs-White for Nottingham Forest, who I think has had a terrific season. So there's loads of young players coming through who can hopefully influence and impact the seniors.". Jones played under Southgate, who departed England after back-to-back Euros finals and a World Cup semi-final in 2018. The ex-Red Devils ace and 2013 Premier League weapon is hopeful that Tuchel can build on the foundations built by Southgate and use the highly-talented pool of players to fire England to World Cup and European glory.

"Gareth was terrific for me, terrific in what he did and what he brought to the nation, where we were when he took over and where he left us," Jones continued. "You know, a couple of semi-finals and two finals, it was an incredible achievement from where we were. "So I think Thomas coming in will realise that the players he's got at his disposal are massive, so many talented players, so many young players coming through now, so many experienced heads there, so he's got a lot of players to really work with and nail down the way he wants to play and how he wants to play and different ways he can be adaptable within the system he wants to play.