Morgan Gibbs-White looks set to earn the recall that narrowly eluded him last week, stepping into England’s squad after Cole Palmer withdrew from Thomas Tuchel’s Nations League plans.
Tuchel had snubbed Gibbs-White when he named his initial squad, even as he praised the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s form. The Forest captain dragged his side clear of relegation last season and edged close to a recall, but the manager opted instead to restore Palmer a player he’d controversially dropped from England’s World Cup squad in May.
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That decision now looks costly. Palmer will miss England’s fixtures against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia, handing Gibbs-White the opportunity Tuchel withheld from him days ago.
Palmer isn’t withdrawing alone Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Tino Livramento and Kobbie Mainoo have also pulled out, with Everton’s James Garner joining Gibbs-White as a replacement.
Palmer’s setback fits a pattern shadowing England’s squad this season: players thrust out, then dragged back in, only to falter again. Tuchel controversially excluded Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold from his World Cup selection in May, then reversed course and recalled Palmer and Alexander-Arnold for this camp.
Palmer had pushed to reclaim his shirt, scoring four goals and assisting twice in seven Chelsea appearances this season, and completed 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Friday but now exits the squad regardless, nursing an injury.
Before his recall, Tuchel had dared Palmer to justify his return. “It’s one thing to be nominated and get back in the squad and to perform,” Tuchel said. “Cole needs to show these kinds of numbers and performances to get his shirt and justify the nomination.”
Palmer, for his part, insisted his recurring groin injury had finally eased. “Physically I feel good, probably the best I’ve felt in ages,” he told Sky Sports.
Gibbs-White now inherits the chance to prove Tuchel wrong for excluding him initially. No player scored more Premier League goals in 2026 than the Forest man, level with Erling Haaland on 13. Garner, meanwhile, impressed on his England debut in March but had missed out on a World Cup call-up.
England open their extended break against Spain at Wembley on September 26, then travel to face the Czech Republic on September 29 and Croatia on October 3, before hosting the Czechs again on October 6.
England Squad (Nations League — Spain, Czech Republic, Croatia)
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders:Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) — IN, James Garner (Everton) — IN, Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth)
Forwards:Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Withdrawn:Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford,Tino Livramento,Kobbie Mainoo
