England manager Thomas Tuchel has omitted Chelsea forward Cole Palmer from his squad for the upcoming November Nations League fixtures, declaring that the 24-year-old "misses too many chances to impress." Palmer, who withdrew from England's squad during the early autumn international window, will play no part when the Three Lions host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday, 12 November, or travel to face Spain in Madrid on Sunday, 15 November.
Addressing Palmer's exclusion, Tuchel explained that England possess "enough number 10s" and opted for continuity after enjoying a productive two-and-a-half-week period with the previous group. Instead, the manager handed first senior international call-ups to two attacking midfielders: Fulham's Josh King and Borussia Dortmund's 21-year-old Jobe Bellingham. Tuchel noted that King offers flexibility across all four attacking positions and stated he wants to test him on both wings. Defending his decision regarding Palmer, Tuchel added: "I guess everyone is desperate to play for England and Cole is no exception. We are speaking now about a player that is not in camp. It counts when you are in camp and I just said last time that he misses too many opportunities to impress."
Jobe Bellingham's maiden selection sees him link up with older brother Jude, putting them in position to become the first pair of brothers to feature in an England line-up since Gary and Phil Neville. Meanwhile, several fitness issues have further shaped Tuchel's roster. Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka is unavailable after suffering a quadriceps injury against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with the Premier League champions anticipating a six-week absence for the 25-year-old. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott is also missing due to an injury sustained against Croatia in October, although the 23-year-old is reportedly in contention to play against Ipswich on Sunday. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Newcastle's Tino Livramento remain out with hip and knee injuries respectively, while Como's Trevoh Chalobah and Manchester City pair Nico O'Reilly and Rico Lewis have also been left out.
Looking ahead to the double-header against Croatia and Spain, Tuchel has welcomed back several key names to reinforce his side. Arsenal defender Ben White and Inter Milan's Djed Spence have been recalled for the first time since the summer, while Gunners duo Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa are passed fit following their withdrawals from the previous camp. Additionally, Everton midfielder James Garner and Nottingham Forest attacker Morgan Gibbs-White have retained their spots after joining the setup during the last international window, completing Tuchel's options for the decisive Nations League tests.
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