Demarai Gray Blames Lack of Game Time at Leicester for Not Being Called Up to England's First Team

Leicester City winger Demarai Gray has criticised his club, citing his irregular playing time as the reason he wasn't called up for Gareth Southgate's England side.

The 21-year-old will instead play for England's Under-21s as they face Ukraine in their Euro 2019 qualifier. However, Gray believes that if he had received more regular game time at the King Power Stadium over the course of the season he would instead be featuring for England's senior team.

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After showing runs of good form in the Premier League, fellow youngsters Joe Gomez, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham were all called up to represent the Three Lions in their upcoming friendlies against Germany and Brazil, thus leading Gray to believe that he could've been part of the England squad's youthful contingent.

Speaking to the press, as reported by the Express, Gray said: "I could have, definitely. Being in and out of the team is not good. You see the players that are getting selected and a lot of them are playing regular football at their club.

"We all know what Gareth [Southgate] is about. If you’re playing football and are in good form and doing well at your club he will put faith in you.

"That’s why I felt very disappointed at times because I felt I was being held back by not playing football and I know what I’m capable of."

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Gray recently signed a new four-year contract at the King Power Stadium following the appointment of Claude Puel however, the young winger had considered looking for a way out at Leicester after he was struggling to be selected throughout the tenures of Claudio Ranieri and Craig Shakespeare.

Speaking on his new contract Gay said: "At the time I wasn’t playing much football and I did have my stages where I thought I might have to look at where I was playing my football,

"It was never about money. I have always loved playing football and I wasn’t playing football. Since the manager came in I feel a lot better."

Throughout the course of the 2017/18 season, Gray has made a total of 13 appearances so far, notching two goals and an assist. And with the England starlet starting both games since Puel was appointed as Leicester manager, Gray could well see himself promoted to England's first team in time for the upcoming World Cup finals in Russia.