Palmer’s decision to manage his fitness follows a stern message from Tuchel, who warned the attacker that he must justify his recall. The playmaker last featured for the Three Lions in March against Japan and was a notable omission from England’s World Cup squad.
“It is one thing to be nominated, like with Cole, and getting your ticket back in the squad but it’s another thing to perform for England,” Tuchel explained. “Cole needs to step up when he comes and he needs to show these kind of numbers to get his place, keep his shirt and justify the nomination.”
The manager noted that Palmer’s return to form – producing four goals and two assists in seven games – warranted his inclusion. “He has his numbers back, he has his assists back, he has decisive goals back,” Tuchel added. “I think he has a point to prove, and the same goes for Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. He was never non-selectable for us, and it is his chance to show, come to camp and be the best version of himself.”
However, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso recently backed his star forward’s cautious approach. “I think that sometimes you need to go through a difficult moment with an injury or whatever to learn from that,” Alonso stated. “Cole has gone through a difficult period with the injury, and now he’s working really hard to have the prevention not to have to feel those symptoms.”