A must pick or unreliable? Tuchel's Palmer dilemma

Will Thomas Tuchel pick Cole Palmer for his next England squad as the competition to be England's number 10 continues. Has Cole Palmer done enough to warrant a spot in the England squad? Has Cole Palmer done enough to earn an England call-up for their November Nations League games against Croatia and Spain? The 24-year-old Chelsea forward is regarded as one of the stars at Stamford Bridge, but his status with the Three Lions has been the subject of major debate, particularly since Thomas Tuchel's appointment as manager at the beginning of 2025. Palmer's withdrawal from the most recent extended three-week camp came after his omission from their World Cup squad, prompting Tuchel to say he "misses too many opportunities to play for England".

Yet there is an argument Palmer has done enough to earn an England recall with his start to this campaign – despite Tuchel's obvious reservations. Having scored five goals and provided three assists in all competitions, only his Chelsea team-mate Morgan Rogers has had more goal involvements during the opening months of the campaign – when looking at players he is in competition with for England. It must be noted, though, that penalties do inflate Palmer's total more than that of some of those rivals for a Three Lions spot. When spot-kicks are excluded, he has