Thomas Tuchel has spoken about the concerns over Cole Palmer’s availability for England after the Chelsea playmaker pulled out of another international squad. The Three Lions boss discussed the issue on Friday, the day before Saturday’s UEFA Nations League clash with world champions Spain at Wembley.
Palmer had been called up for matches against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia after a promising start to the season, scoring four goals and providing two assists in seven appearances for Chelsea. But the 24-year-old later withdrew, one of several high-profile withdrawals alongside Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento.
The forward’s repeated absences meant he never had the chance to win his manager’s trust up close. Tuchel said:
“For sure it’s a missed opportunity. It’s another missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities, and I don’t blame him for it. It’s just the fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries and I only want to rely on what I personally witness and what I see within my team, and for that you have to be in camp.
“If you’re not in camp, there’s a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you only can do it when you’re actually with me on the pitch and with us on the pitch so, yeah, it is a missed opportunity.”
Since the German took charge at the start of 2025, Palmer has made only three appearances and, after a season hampered by injuries in 2025-26, was famously left out of England’s World Cup squad this summer. It is the fourth time under Tuchel that the forward has been called up but then withdrawn.
Tuchel Denies Cole Palmer Load Management Rumours
Tuchel was adamant that England had not let Palmer leave to manage his workload. The forward played the full 90 minutes of Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford before linking up with the national squad.
Here is what Tuchel told reporters at his pre-match press conference about why the playmaker had to leave:
“My understanding is that he plays with discomfort and pain…”
The German added that both the player and Chelsea had told the England setup about the problem. Palmer is working on an injury-specific training program with a Chelsea rehab coach. The 24-year-old recently said he played on one leg for 10 months while dealing with a recurring groin issue.