Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ben White, Cole Palmer - Who will make Thomas Tuchel's first England squad?
Thomas Tuchel is set to reveal his first England squad today with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham players among those hoping for a call-up
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham stars are among those speculated to be in contention for Thomas Tuchel's first England squad.
The former Blues manager will be taking charge of the Three Lions for the first time since he agreed to take the job in October, but Tuchel didn't officially start his new role until January 1, 2025. Today marks his first big move as England boss, as he names his squad for two World Cup qualifiers.
The German is said to have called 55 players ahead of his selection in a bid to build connections with the squad, according to BBC Sport. London teams will be awaiting the news as to which players will train with their national squad as some players eye up a return and certain youngsters prepare for a debut.
Ben White stunned fans last year when he made himself unavailable for selection. The Arsenal defender has suffered some injury-related setbacks this season, but Tuchel is said to have called the 27-year-old, so we could see White returning to the squad.
Another Arsenal ace, who has bursted onto the scene this season, is Myles Lewis-Skelly. The 18-year-old has proven, despite his age, his maturity levels are on par with his more experienced teammates.
Cole Palmer was one of the most important players under Gareth Southgate at the Euros last summer. Despite only being a substitute across the tournament, he always found a way to make a difference.
He's had a trickier season so far with Chelsea having not scored in nine games across all competitions. Although Palmer should be an obvious choice, Tuchel could be focused on form over history.
If Tuchel's focus is on form, then Djed Spence would be a contender. The left wing-back has just been nominated for February's Premier League Player of the Month after breaking into the first team.
The Englishman has bagged two goals and two assists this season for Tottenham and arguably deserves a step up to the senior team at St. Georges Park. Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri could be a wildcard for Tuchel, but, according to Sky reporter Rob Dorsett, the 17-year-old is more likely to jump two age groups to the U21's squad.
Although there is no doubting that the youngster will want to play under Tuchel, moving up two age groups is a significant advancement for a teenager who was playing with the academy last year. The official squad announcement will be made at 12pm today.
The named-team will play in two World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, both at Wembley Stadium.