Thomas Tuchel is thinking about a surprise England call-up for a Premier League player he really likes.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is thinking about calling up a surprise Premier League player who last played for England in 2022, according to reports.
This will be Tuchel’s first squad pick since England reached the World Cup semi-finals. He’s paying close attention to how the start of the new Premier League season might shape his choices.
Some England stars who just missed out on the World Cup squad could be back in the team. Tuchel has especially noticed Leeds United’s great start this season.
Sources tell TEAMtalk that Leeds’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Justin are likely to get called up after their strong performances. Calvert-Lewin scored twice in Leeds’ 4-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday. Though he’s only played once for England since Tuchel took charge, the manager has generally preferred players like Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney as backups to Harry Kane.
James Justin, another Leeds player, earned his only England cap in 2022 and is well-liked in the England setup. This season, he’s often played centre-back but can also play right-back, left-back, and wing-back. England doesn’t have many right-back options, so Justin’s flexibility impresses the coaches. He was injured early on in his last game for England but is definitely on their radar.
BBC Sport reports that Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Manchester City’s Phil Foden are also on Tuchel’s longlist. Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, both spotted during England’s pre-World Cup camp, are in consideration along with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, who had some injury setbacks after his England debut in 2024, is back in the mix. His teammate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is also thought to be on the provisional list.
Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, who fans debated missing from the World Cup squad, is included too and could soon earn his fifth England cap.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who captained his team in a recent Europa League game and provided an assist, isn’t mentioned. He was a popular talking point among fans after missing out on the World Cup but got praise from Cole Palmer during a Twitch stream. Palmer called him “a great player” with all the right skills.
Wharton was taken to Euro 2024 by Gareth Southgate but didn’t play. He’s earned four caps since then.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting squad announcement, with some familiar faces and new ones to watch!