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Trent Alexander-Arnold was left out of the first England squad following his move from Liverpool to Real Madrid in the summer, with Alan Shearer suggesting that the decision will send a message to his teammates.
Leaving Liverpool just before his contract expired, Alexander-Arnold has made two starts for Real Madrid in La Liga at the start of the season, dropping out of the starting XI against Real Oviedo, when Dani Carvajal was preferred.
But he is expected to become a key man for Xabi Alonso over the coming months. Alexander-Arnold will return to Anfield at the start of November when Real Madrid plays Liverpool in the Champions League group phase.
"I think Thomas Tuchel has probably named that squad for a reason," Shearer told Betfair. "I think it’s certainly young and exciting. It’s got a new feeling to it, hasn’t it?
"There are so many different players in there, and a few have been left out. He’s freshened things up, I think, and I can see the reason and understand why he’s wanted to do that.
"Am I surprised he left out Trent? Yes and no. I think what it does is it sends a message out to the whole squad that if Trent Alexander-Arnold, a Real Madrid player, can be left out of an England squad, then anyone can be left out of it.
"I think that’s always a good message for the manager to send to other players: you play well or you’re not going to be in the squad."
Liverpool wanted to keep Alexander-Arnold but the player was keen to make the move to the Bernabeu to experience something new. He wanted the one thing that the Reds couldn't offer: a change.
Earlier this month, speaking to GQ Espana, Alexander-Arnold elaborated on his motivations for swapping Anfield for the Bernabeu.
"It was one of the hardest decisions of my life," he said. "Liverpool is my home; it made me who I am. But Madrid felt like the right step, at the right time.
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"It was ambition and a personal desire for change. To challenge myself in a new environment. Of course, Real Madrid's legacy is undeniable. But more than that, what attracted me was my ambition and the desire to test myself in new surroundings.
"It's a challenge, but one I welcome. Playing at the Bernabeu is sacred. You can feel the weight of the shirt, but that's what drives you to give it your all."
Liverpool.com says: Alexander-Arnold is likely to be a success at Real Madrid but his England career has long been a conundrum. He has the talent to build the team around, and yet he wasn't even in the squad this time around.
Tuchel appears to have the same issue with him as Gareth Southgate in terms of not quite knowing what to do with him or how to use him.
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