LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team???s fourth goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on August 30, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team???s fourth goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on August 30, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Chelsea star Cole Palmer is expected to pull out of England’s squad for the side’s upcoming Nations League matches due to load management.
Palmer was named in Thomas Tuchel’s 27-man party for England’s clashes with Spain, Czech Republic (playing twice) and Croatia on Friday, having been left out of the Three Lions’ World Cup squad.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder went on to play the full 90 minutes of Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Friday night – his seventh appearance of the season in all competitions for the Blues.
But according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, it has been decided that it is best for Palmer to sit out England’s four fixtures over the course of an extended international break.
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The report claims Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford could be set to follow suit due to doubts over their fitness.
Mainoo managed 80 minutes of United’s 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday, before being replaced by Mason Mount at Craven Cottage.
Marcus Rashford was also substituted in the closing stages in the capital and Michael Carrick subsequently confirmed that the winger had to be withdrawn due to an unspecified ‘issue’.
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - England Training - Swope Soccer Village, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. - July 14, 2026 England's Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Reece James with teammates during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Jay Biggerstaff
Rashford and Mainoo could also pull out of the squad (Picture: Reuters)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 18: Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England looks on after the 6-4 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bronze Final between France and England at Miami Stadium on July 18, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 18: Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England looks on after the 6-4 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bronze Final between France and England at Miami Stadium on July 18, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
‘We had to bring him off as he had a bit of an issue,’ the United head coach told beIN SPORTS.
Palmer had hoped to have put his fitness concerns behind him after a deeply frustrating 2025/26 campaign with Chelsea, which meant he started only 24 of the club’s 38 games across the top-flight campaign.
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The former Manchester City man has racked up four goals and two assists for Chelsea under new manager Xabi Alonso this term.
Tuchel's initial 27-man England squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
More to follow.