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Thomas Tuchel has left a number of talented stars out of his first England squad
Thomas Tuchel made his fair share of headlines already as England boss by selecting the likes of Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn and Marcus Rashford in his first England squad - but some of his big name omissions are also the subject of great debate.
The former Chelsea boss was unable to call on usual stalwarts such as Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Hall, John Stones, Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins and Harry Maguire due to injury but still left out a number of highly-rated talents that would have been expecting a chance to shine on the international stage.
One of which is James Maddison, who with nine goals and five assists in 27 matches will feel unfortunate to miss out after at times being Tottenham’s shining light in an otherwise difficult season. Another could well be centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, whose return from injury earlier in the campaign has coincided massively with Everton’s rise out of the relegation battle in recent months.
With that in mind, we take a look at the best England XI of stars to miss out on Tuchel's first squad, which according to Transfermarkt is worth in excess of £300m. This list focuses solely on players that are fit and available rather than those such as Palmer and Saka that missed out due to injury.
Goalkeeper and defence
Goalkeeper: Nick Pope - Newcastle United
Nick Pope recently helped Newcastle United to their first piece of domestic silverware in 70 years and was impressive in between the posts in the final at Wembley Stadium. However, it has been a mixed season on the whole for the former Burnley man, who has faced strong competition from Martin Dubravka in recent months since returning from injury.
Right-back: Ben White -Arsenal
Ben White opted not to make himself available for England during the final months of Gareth Southgate’s reign in a puzzling decision which led to speculation of a fall-out between the Arsenal star and former assistant coach Steve Holland, as per reports from Mail Sport. White has not hit the heights he managed last season for Arsenal due to injury difficulties but his absence from the squad shows that it is still unclear whether he is a part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans moving forward.
Centre back: Jarrad Branthwaite -Everton
Jarrad Branthwaite has been one of Everton’s top performers throughout the past two seasons and has been hugely influential to the club’s turnaround with seven clean sheets in 20 league starts. Branthwaite is arguably one of the nations best left-footed centre back, a consistently high performer and at 22-years-of-age a player with seemingly a huge future in the game. His absence in the Euro 2024 squad was puzzlingand remains so today.
Centre back: Fikayo Tomori - AC Milan
Fikayo Tomori has not hit the heights of recent seasons in an AC Milan shirt but will be no doubt disappointed to miss out on Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad. Tomori has Champions League experience, a league title under his belt and has played over 100 times for one of Italy’s biggest clubs. He will feel unlucky to only be sat on five caps.
Left-back: Djed Spence - Tottenham
Djed Spence has coped extremely well during Tottenham’s injury crisis and has emerged as one of the team’s standout performers in a tricky campaign. With Lewis Hall’s recent injury, he along with Tyrick Mitchell, will be disappointed not to get a look-in.
Midfield and attack
Central midfield: Elliot Anderson - Nottingham Forest
Eyebrows were raised when Nottingham Forest splashed out £40m on ex-Newcastle United star Elliot Anderson, but it has so far proved money well spent. The former Whitley-bay born midfielder has been pulling the strings at the City Ground this term with one goal and six assists and has helped the Tricky Trees climb into the Champions League places against the odds.
Central midfield: James Maddison - Tottenham Hotspur
James Maddison has been one of Tottenham’s more productive players this term with nine goals and five assists in 27 league appearances this season. He is blessed with flair, creativity and the ability to make a difference and will feel unlucky not to make the squad amid Cole Palmer’s absence due to injury.
Central midfield: Adam Wharton - Crystal Palace
Adam Wharton was a surprise inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad despite not getting a single minute at the tournament - and is once again impressing in a Crystal Palace shirt. Since returning from injury, Wharton has been a near ever present for the Eagles and a key component in the club’s recent turnaround in form. He’s been called up for the U21s instead, and has had a chance to impress Tuchel while training with the senior side this week.
Right-wing: Ethan Nwaneri - Arsenal
17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri has enjoyed a solid breakout campaign for the Gunners and is the calibre of player with the potential to represent the Three Lions in years to come. He has scored three goals and assisted one in the league for Arsenal and has netted a further two times in the Champions League. Jacob Murphy with five goals and eight assists for Newcastle in the league this season also deserves an honourable mention after helping his team to Carabao Cup glory. He’s just made the top ten of Goal’s yearly NXGN wonderkids ranking, along with his teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Centre forward: Liam Delap - Ipswich Town
It was a close call between Liam Delap and Ivan Toney for the centre forward position but ultimately Premier League bias prevails on this occasion. Delap has been a revelation for a struggling Ipswich side this season and has found the net 10 times in 28 appearances for a Tractor Boys side that often give him little service.
Left winger: Jack Grealish - Manchester City
The only £100m player in this list and arguably the one with the highest ceiling when he’s at his absolute best. Jack Grealish has shown glimpses of magic, often as a substitute, in an England shirt, but is struggling for form at Manchester City in a frustrating season for the defending champions.
Read More:Tuchel's bizarre Jordan Henderson recall adds needless drama to England reset