Thomas Tuchel has voiced uncertainty about how keen Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is to don the England shirt. Palmer’s omission from the World Cup squad earlier this summer sparked debate, as an injury‑plagued season saw his form dip at a crucial time.
After a relatively quiet summer, Palmer appeared to regain his sharpness in the opening weeks of the new campaign, contributing to six goals (either scoring or assisting) in his first seven appearances for Chelsea. That resurgence earned him a recall to the England squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia. However, he subsequently pulled out of the group because of a lingering injury.
This marks the second occasion since Tuchel took over the England helm at the start of 2025 that Palmer has been summoned and then withdrawn on medical grounds. In addition, Palmer has missed three full England training camps with injury and was not selected for another recent gathering. When pressed about the notion that Palmer does not seem desperate to play for his country, Tuchel answered, "It's hard to argue against what you're saying." He then listed the alternatives available to the national side: Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs‑White and Eberechi Eze – all of whom are present at camp, eager to contribute, and prepared to abandon a holiday in Dubai at a moment's notice, as Gibbs‑White reportedly did. Tuchel continued, "I can only judge him on what he is delivering for the national team and he is simply missing too many chances.
If Declan [Rice] calls me and explains something, and I see a problem in a Brighton match that confirms that impression, every case is different. I know from Marcus [Rashford] and Kobbie [Mainoo] that they sometimes play with discomfort for their clubs. It looks odd if they finish a weekend game and then are absent from camp, but we trust the players when there is doubt.
I have no reason not to trust them because they performed brilliantly with us in the US. Tino Livramento also pulled out – that's normal. I just refuse to read too much into it or believe it automatically." Tuchel later emphasized that Palmer has featured for England on three occasions across two training camps, and the manager has previously flagged the forward’s lack of availability as a concern.
"It is certainly a missed opportunity," Tuchel said. "He misses far too many camps with injuries. I don’t blame him, it’s simply a fact. I only rely on what I see firsthand in camp.
If you are not there, you cannot impress me on the pitch. It is a lost chance." Palmer started the full match for Chelsea against Brentford on the Friday before the international break. When asked about the specific nature of his injury, Tuchel dismissed the idea that the club was simply managing his workload. "He plays with discomfort and pain and cannot perform at his highest level under those conditions," Tuchel explained.
"Chelsea have informed us, and that is my understanding. This is not a casual ‘international break’; it is a competitive environment where players love to train together. We will never compromise on that. We will never allow the notion that players don’t want to come to England camps to take hold.
Our focus remains on those who truly want to represent England." Sky Sports News commentator Kaveh Solhekol interpreted Tuchel’s remarks as a growing frustration with Palmer’s repeated absences. Solhekol noted that over the past two years, since Tuchel became England manager, Palmer has rarely featured for the national side, frequently citing injury. Yet Palmer has started every Chelsea league game this season except one, and Solhekol predicts he will be back in the Chelsea lineup as soon as the international window closes. According to Solhekol, Tuchel’s message is clear: "If you’re not here, you can’t impress me," opening the door for other players to step into the spotlight.
He cited Jude Bellingham’s example, who, despite a rocky relationship with Tuchel and an injury, still attended international duty and earned the manager’s respect. Solhekol questioned why Palmer has been completely absent for the three‑week camp, asking whether his injury is severe enough to prevent training or merely a convenient excuse.
He also highlighted the competition for the England No 10 role. With Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs‑White also in the mix, Tuchel may feel less urgency to force Palmer’s inclusion. "Gibbs‑White will have a chance to impress over the next few weeks," Solhekol added. Palmer joins a group of five players who withdrew from the original squad named by Tuchel, alongside Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento.
England captain Harry Kane was asked about the spate of withdrawals and whether players were prioritising club over country at this stage of the post‑World Cup cycle. Kane responded, "Everyone is extremely proud to be an England player. Each individual has their own physical and mental circumstances.
It’s up to the player and the coach to discuss and resolve those matters. The schedule will be gruelling – four games in eleven days – but I look forward to it. Ultimately, it’s about what you do on the training pitch, and from the start of this week it has been at the highest level." The upcoming Nations League fixtures are scheduled as follows: Spain (home) on Saturday, 26 September at 7.45 pm; the Czech Republic (away) on Tuesday, 29 September at 7.45 pm; Croatia (away) on Saturday, 3 October at 5.00 pm; and a return match against the Czech Republic (home) on Tuesday, 6 October at 7.45 pm.
Fans can follow the England‑Spain clash on the Sky Sports website and app.