Marco Silva was delighted for both Nathaniel Chalobah and Watford's reputation after the 22-year-old midfielder was handed his first England call-up today.

Chalobah became the first Watford outfield player since 1987 to be called up for the Three Lions' senior squad earlier today, following on from John Barnes' last cap.

The former Chelsea man swapped Stamford Bridge for Vicarage Road this summer despite a new contract offer from Blues boss Antonio Conte - and his bravery has already been rewarded following Gareth Southgate's selection.

Silva said: "I’d give him congratulations. It’s very good for us as a club, but first for the boy. It’s one target he has in his mind, and a goal for his career.

"It’s fantastic for him if he can achieve it, and it’s a very good moment for the club. At the moment, he’ll go and work like he works here, but the first thing I will do is congratulate him. He’s worked for it."

For Chalobah's part he is delighted to have achieved a long-held dream and is looking forward to joining up with the squad.

“I'm absolutely buzzing, I'm ecstatic,” he told the club website.

“I got the text and was smiling from ear to ear. It's a realisation of a dream, it's all happening quite fast really. It hasn't hit me yet. I need to call my family and speak to them. They'll be over the moon! 

“I've got a lot of thank-yous to say to a lot of people but the focus is this weekend [v Brighton], we've got to get that out of the way first.”

He feels his experience at Under-21 level will help with acclimatising to the senior set up.

He said: “I've worked with a few of the boys in the Under-21s, so I don't think there will be any problem with the transition and settling in.

“I think Gareth has always made the environment as friendly as possible and the lads have always been like that as well, even when we saw them [the first-team] around St George's Park."