Thomas Tuchel has questioned how desperate Cole Palmer is to play for England, saying it is "hard to argue" against the suggestion that the Chelsea forward is not eager to represent his country. Palmer was left out of England's World Cup squad in the summer after an injury-hit season, and though he returned to form with six goal involvements in seven games, he withdrew from the latest Nations League squad due to injury. This is the second time Palmer has pulled out of a squad since Tuchel took charge at the start of 2025, and he has also missed three camps entirely with fitness issues.

Tuchel noted that Palmer has played just three times under him, saying, "He misses too many opportunities." The England boss pointed to the players who are available, including Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Eberechi Eze, all of whom are "desperate to be here." Tuchel added that he can only judge Palmer on what he delivers for the national team, and his repeated absences are a problem. He acknowledged that some players, like Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, play with discomfort for their clubs, but he trusts the players in camp. Palmer played the full 90 minutes for Chelsea at Brentford just before the break, but Tuchel did not specify the exact injury issue.