Elliot Anderson of England runs with the ball during a training session at Stadion HNK Rijeka
Elliot Anderson of England runs with the ball during a training session at Stadion HNK Rijeka(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
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Thomas Tuchel says England's Manchester City players are worried about their club's guilty verdict for breaking Premier League financial rules, but would still consider selecting them even if City get relegated.
City face an uncertain future after being found guilty of severe financial breaches by an independent panel, although have appealed against the decision, claiming they have "irrefutable evidence" of their innocence.
The situation has been developing throughout the international window where City players Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson, who joined City from Nottingham Forest, and Nico O'Reilly have been part of the England squad.
O'Reilly has since gone home injured, but Tuchel says it is natural for City's players to have concern over the club's plight.
The German said ahead of Saturday's Nations League clash with Croatia: "Are they worried or like are they concerned?
"I think that would be a very human reaction if you don't know what's going on for the club that you signed.
"They're still young. They're ambitious. They're told they are totally innocent and don't know what's going on.
"So yeah, I think it is a subject.
"If it's a distraction, I don't know. It's the honest answer, but it is of course a topic and we speak about it at dinner and at a table of eight or 12 people.
"Of course, we speak about it at breakfast. And I know that the Man City players get a lot, a lot of messages and phone calls and feedback about it.
"I am again not sure if it's a distraction. I don't see it when I when I see them in my meetings.
"I don't see it how they behave with other team-mates, and I don't see it in training being a distraction. But it's of course a topic. Why? How can't it be a topic?"
Tuchel says he would still consider picking City's players even if a possible punishment could see the club playing outside the Premier League.
"There's always a possibility," he said. "I think I will always try to pick the best team for the camp, for the occasion, for the tournament, and I will never rule out that they don't play in the top flight in their country.
"So you need to look at this case by case."