England manager Thomas Tuchel has included Bukayo Saka in his squad for next week’s matches against Wales and Latvia. Saka, who missed the previous World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia due to a hamstring issue, has returned to full fitness and scored in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Olympiacos on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old takes the place of Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke, sidelined until November with a knee injury. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before traveling to Riga for a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on 14 October. A victory in Latvia would mean England need only two points from their final two matches, against Serbia and Albania, to secure qualification for next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah replaces Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, who is expected to be out for up to eight weeks following a knee injury against Arsenal. Meanwhile, Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence retain their places after earning their first call-ups last month, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek also stays in the squad despite Adam Wharton returning to fitness.
Saka has only appeared once under Tuchel, in England’s 3-1 loss to Senegal in June, due to fitness concerns. Bellingham, recovering from shoulder surgery, has made only one start for Real Madrid since returning. Foden remains out after struggling to regain form, and Grealish, despite good performances at Everton, has not played for England since October 2024.
Full England squad for upcoming matches
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Scrutiny on those left out of Tuchel’s squad
Tuchel’s selection has drawn attention more for the absences than the inclusions. Jude Bellingham’s omission comes as he is just returning from shoulder surgery, while Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, despite impressive early-season form, have not been included. Tuchel appears to favor consistency, rewarding those who performed well in England’s recent victories, particularly the 5-0 win over Serbia.
Players such as Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers have impressed at senior level, filling key roles and contributing to the team’s success. Noni Madueke would have been a strong contender, but injury rules him out. Tuchel’s approach suggests he prefers to maintain continuity rather than make changes for players who are not yet match-fit or fully in form.
Another notable absence is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who has had an excellent start to the season and helped the club maintain a 19-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Nevertheless, Tuchel has a wealth of options in central midfield and is confident in the players he has chosen. Bellingham remains a player for the future, but for now Tuchel trusts those who excelled against Serbia to carry the team forward.