Calum Chambers is ready for England after starring for Arsenal again on his Champions League debut against Besiktas

• e-mail

Roy Hodgson will name his first England squad since the World Cup a week on Thursday. Calum Chambers should be in it.

Even if he is only there for the ride, to train in an environment with established internationals, this outstanding young talent needs to get a feel of what is to come. He doesn’t need to play and there is no pressure to cap him, but training with England’s elite can only benefit him.

Arsene Wenger has, quite rightly, formed a human shield around Arsenal’s young central defender. 

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Calum Chambers take his bib off while doing keep-ups

Young Gun: Calum Chambers impressed on his Champions League debut against Besiktas

Standing strong: Calum Chambers helped Arsenal keep a clean sheet in their goalless draw in Turkey

Standing tall: Chambers (left) has a word with teammate Laurent Koscielny during the match

But when you play like this, with composure and class, in a Champions League qualifier against Besiktas in Istanbul, there is point trying to hide him away. This was another special night.

At the age of 19, the £16m recruit from Southampton has been Arsenal’s best player in their opening two matches. Think about that for a moment. 

In a team laced with talent, from the former Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez to Jack Wilshere to the match-winning midfielder Aaron Ramsey (sent off last night), Chambers has topped the lot. He shows remarkable composure, reading the game like an old pro during a tasty and sometimes fiery battle with Demba Ba in the Ataturk Stadium.

The former Chelsea striker thought he could pick on him, seeking him out in the opening minutes of this Champions League qualifier. Chambers was more than ready for him. It comes to something when Chambers was pushing his more experienced team-mate Laurent Koscielny around, talking him into position when Besiktas broke forward. 

Raising the Ba: The Arsenal youngster competes in the air with former Chelsea striker Demba Ba

Protest: Chambers (left) talks to Serbian referee Milorad Mazic as Demba Ba (right) looks on

There were shades of Alan Hansen about his block tackle on the edge of the area 35 minutes in, waiting for the right moment to stop Ba bulldozing his way into the box.

His positioning is first class, always alert as he makes his first steps at the very highest level. They are anything but tentative.

This wasn’t a faultless performance, but that would be asking too much of a player who has spent his entire career at Southampton playing at right back. Still, he learns fast.

There will be mild frustration with his failure to clear properly, exposed at the back when Ba was breathing down his neck on the stroke of half-time.

Experience will tell him to clear the decks, but he miscued and allowed Ba to make his way into the penalty area. He will learn to never go to ground, but the Besiktas forward fired wide.

Kid's play: Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane won the Champions League last season aged 21

At 19, Chambers is thriving in the environment at Arsenal and learning, quickly, to accept the challenges of being a player at the top level.

At Real Madrid, the young France central defender Raphael Varane won his first La Liga title two years ago and played a full game in the Champions League victory against Atletico Madrid at the age of 21.

Varane already has 11 caps for France and he is being used carefully and considerately by his club manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Wenger has, quite rightly, promised to throw a protective cloak around Chambers and he will be due a rest when Per Mertesacker is fully fit after returning from the World Cup. 

Take a bow: Chambers was arguably man of the match on his league debut against Crystal Palace

Teenage kicks: The 19-year-old has impressed his Arsenal teammates with his ability

Remember the days leading up to Euro 96, when the former England coach Terry Venables called Rio Ferdinand, then 18, into his squad to acclimatise him to a long and distinguished international career.

Chambers is already an established Under-19 international, but his progress is so dramatic, so rapid, that he should leapfrog Gareth Southgate’s Under-21 team.

We are witnessing the future of English football, someone to get excited about after the pain and despair of those three depressing group games in Brazil. Chambers already has given us reason to hope.

If you are good enough, you are old enough and all that.

CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… 

 VIDEO Arsenal heading in the right direction - Winterburn