Roy Hodgson has described Luke Shaw as a "very exciting talent" who deserves his place in the England squad.

The national team manager today gave Saints' 18-year-old left-back a first ever senior call-up, ahead of next Wednesday's friendly, against Denmark, at Wembley.

Hodgson said: "Everyone who has watched him play recently will not deny he deserves a place in a large squad. He has played well. He is a very exciting talent.

"I think this was the right moment to invite him along, as he is a player in this position where we are very well off in, but he wants to compete with the other two [Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines] for a place on the plane to Brazil, and I thought it was the right time to bring him along and see what he can do."