Currently there are 43 English players on the Football Association’s radar playing their club football in Europe.

The FA’s technical director John McDermott believes it is a “huge positive” to have so many players playing across Europe.

“I spoke to a couple of the boys that are playing abroad at the moment,” he told BBC Sport. “The exposure they get in those leagues, playing Champions League or European football, where you’re not necessarily having to bang out 55 games, but you still have got time to do your weight training and your gym work.

“Often if you’re playing in the English competition or in the EFL, where it’s 46 games – you know it’s game, game, game, which is fantastic – but for some players that opportunity to get the training in-between and to practise developing on technique or other areas, there’s benefits to that.”

McDermott was previously at Tottenham Hotspur and says that even when he was in club football, he was a “big believer” in players going abroad to “develop character” and “independence”.

“I think being in another changing room and learning another language just puts you under the pressure to adapt,” he added.

“And I think for any young person that ability not only to become technically, tactically more adept, but also culturally have to pick up something else – it’s huge and prevents people from becoming complacent or just getting used to the same old, same old.”

Gordon said in the recent international break he feels he gets more respect now he plays for one of Europe’s elite sides, compared with when he was at Newcastle.

“I think he’s always been respected,” McDermott said.

“I remember when Trips (Kieran Trippier) came back, and Trips was a good player, but when he came back from Atletico (Madrid) I noticed he was just maybe tighter technically and noticed there was a change that Kieran came back with.

“So I’m not sure if he’s respected more … but I think you want all of the players – whether they stay in England [or not] – every six months you see this sort of incremental step where they’ve added something, another dimension to the game.

“That can sometimes come in this country, obviously, playing with different players, being in new competitions, but I think going abroad definitely helps that.

“And I’ve seen that with Anthony already and some of the other boys. They come back, it’s four months since you’ve seen them and there’s another dimension there.”

McDermott is keen to make clear that developing in England can still be of a huge benefit and that Jarell Quansah and Jobe Bellingham, two of England’s squad who are now playing in Germany, also played in the EFL.

“There’s all different ways, I don’t think there’s this elixir, I don’t think there’s this magic formula, ‘this is the way’,” McDermott said.

England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for just the third time in their history in the summer.

McDermott was asked if he thought now the Three Lions had more players abroad, it could help develop England’s style or performance in major tournaments.

“Yeah, possibly. Again don’t underestimate if you’re playing now in the Champions League at an English club,” he said.

“We would like more players in the pipeline. I think at the moment we’re on about 26% or 27% English-qualified players playing the Premier League.

“We’ve got 40 to 50 players playing at Champions League quality and playing in European football, top Premier League clubs, so let’s not underestimate our own product.”

McDermott says it is clear the impact having players in different countries is having on the squad, but it is then down to the manager to blend the style.

“I think the different cultural experiences they get, the different exposure they get to play in different types of football is fantastic.

“But still, the England manager has got to try and find that singular blend when they come back of the English players, the Spanish players, the German players, the Italian players, it’s all sort of an eclectic mix that they’re bringing.”