Thomas Tuchel has made medical checks with Chelsea on Cole Palmer while he weighs up whether to call him up for England again. The England head coach has sounded increasingly irritated by Palmer missing camps, but the decision is still open. Palmer withdrew from the last international break because of injury.
Tuchel's frustration over missed camps
Speaking to standard.co.uk, Tuchel said: "For sure, it is a missed opportunity. It is another missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities and I don’t blame him for it, it is just a fact. He misses way too many camps."
He added in comments reported by express.co.uk: "My understanding is that he is playing with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete at the highest level with discomfort and pain. So he withdrew and informed us, and Chelsea informed us. For sure. It is a missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities. I don’t blame him for it. It is just a fact."
Palmer has featured in only three of Tuchel’s 26 England matches so far. That is a thin run for a player who has already shown he can influence games at club level, but it also explains why Tuchel keeps coming back to availability before he comes back to form.
Palmer's case if he is fit again
The football argument for Palmer is still there. He has made nine Premier League appearances for Chelsea this season, scoring three goals and adding three assists, with 802 league minutes already on the clock. England also sit second in their Nations League group, so the squad choices still matter.
The final call is being shaped by the medical checks, not by any shortage of output. Palmer has the numbers to stay in the conversation, and Tuchel has been clear that camps are the stage he wants him available for next.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
