Cole Palmer is back in the England squad for the upcoming Nations League games in September and October after a start to the 2025-26 season that made his omission harder to sustain. Thomas Tuchel is set to name his first England squad since the World Cup on Friday, and Trent Alexander-Arnold also returns to the group. Palmer was limited to 26 appearances last season by groin problems, but he has already put together 2 Premier League appearances and 184 minutes this term.

Palmer's early-season case

A 7.09 average rating across those opening games is the clearest reason the recall looks justified. Palmer has not just been involved, he has looked effective early, which lines up with Joao Pedro's view that he is the sort of player who can do almost everything in the final third. Speaking to goal.com, Joao Pedro said: "He can score, pass, score free-kicks, he can do everything. That is what makes him special. He is a special player."

That kind of start matters because the England attack is crowded and Tuchel still has decisions to make in the same area of the pitch. Palmer's return gives him another creator who has arrived in form rather than reputation.

Tuchel's wider selection calls

The recall for Alexander-Arnold keeps another debate alive. Tuchel has been adamant that his profile does not suit how he wants England to play, yet the defender is back in the squad anyway. Phil Foden remains part of the wider discussion too, with Sky Sports previewing his place and Standard's confirmed recalled list not naming him.

England's group also includes Jordan Pickford, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford among others, which shows how many established names Tuchel is weighing at once. That is why Palmer stands out most cleanly here: he has done enough early in the 2025-26 season to force his way back in, while the bigger arguments around England's attacking shape are still open.

The squad was not fully settled on 18 September, but Palmer's recall, Alexander-Arnold's return and Tuchel's first post-World Cup selection on Friday give England a clear line of scrutiny before the September and October Nations League games.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →