Cole Palmer withdraws from England squad after earning Tuchel recall

Cole Palmer withdraws from England squad after earning Tuchel recall Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming international break as his workload and a muscle problem are managed. The 24-year-old had been recalled by England manager Thomas Tuchel for the four Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czechia and Croatia after missing this summer’s World Cup. However, Palmer will now remain with Chelsea rather than joining up with the national team for the three-week international window. The decision comes after he completed the full 90 minutes of Chelsea’s 3-0 Premier League defeat against Brentford on Friday. Palmer has started the campaign strongly despite Chelsea’s inconsistent results, registering four goals and two assists across seven appearances in all competitions. His performances had been enough to earn another opportunity under Tuchel after the England head coach surprisingly omitted him from his squad for the World Cup. Palmer last represented the Three Lions against Japan in March and has scored twice in 14 senior international appearances. His withdrawal is nevertheless another reminder of the fitness difficulties that disrupted his 2025-26 campaign, when injuries limited his availability for Chelsea. Blues head coach Xabi Alonso expressed optimism before the season that those problems were behind Palmer, explaining that the midfielder had worked extensively on injury prevention following a difficult period. Chelsea are now taking a cautious approach with one of their most influential players as a demanding domestic and European schedule develops. Palmer’s absence also represents a setback for Tuchel after the England boss had given the midfielder an opportunity to force himself back into his plans. Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are additional fitness concerns ahead of the camp. Rashford is being assessed after he was withdrawn during United’s Premier League game against Fulham, with manager Michael Carrick confirming that the forward had experienced an issue. Mainoo is another potential absentee despite playing 80 minutes at Craven Cottage. England begin their Nations League campaign with a major test against world champions Spain at Wembley on September 26 before travelling to Prague to face Czechia three days later. Tuchel’s side then visit Croatia on October 3 before completing the extended international window with the return game against Czechia at Wembley three days later. Palmer will instead use the break to manage his fitness as Chelsea look to ensure that last season’s recurring injury problems do not resurface during another demanding campaign.