England has officially confirmed that Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Ollie Watkins have all withdrawn from the squad for the September international break. This decision comes as a setback to the national team, which will now have to face their upcoming Nations League fixtures without three of its key players.
Phil Foden’s withdrawal from the England squad was not entirely unexpected. The Manchester City midfielder had already been a doubt heading into the international break, as he had missed City’s last two games due to illness.
Manager Pep Guardiola had indicated that Foden was unlikely to be fit in time to represent England in their scheduled matches. Consequently, Foden did not even report to the team’s training base and has now been formally removed from the squad due to his ongoing health concerns.
Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have also returned to their respective clubs, Chelsea and Aston Villa, for further rehabilitation.
The Football Association released a brief statement explaining the situation: “The Three Lions squad reported to St. George’s Park on Tuesday but, following assessment, both Palmer and Watkins returned to their clubs to continue rehabilitation for ongoing issues.” This development means that both Palmer and Watkins will miss the chance to represent England during this international period.
For Chelsea and Aston Villa fans, there is some positive news, as neither Palmer nor Watkins is believed to have suffered any new injuries. Palmer, who is currently with Chelsea, had raised concerns when he appeared to injure his hamstring during the Europa Conference League defeat to Servette.
However, he managed to play a full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s next match against Crystal Palace just three days later, indicating that the injury was not severe.
Chelsea clarified that Palmer’s withdrawal from the England squad was purely precautionary, to allow him to continue rehabilitation for ongoing issues, rather than due to any new injury sustained during his recent matches.
Ollie Watkins, the Aston Villa striker, has also been withdrawn from the England squad, but for reasons that appear to be related more to his fitness levels than any specific injury. In each of Villa’s three Premier League games this season, Watkins has been substituted around the hour mark.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, explained that Watkins has been struggling to regain full fitness after a long summer with the England team at Euro 2024. “He was coming here with a small injury, he was not really 100% when he started training with us,” Emery stated recently. “He needed one week more resting time than other players after his comeback.”
Watkins’ situation appears to be a case of managing his fitness carefully rather than addressing a new or more severe injury. His participation in recent matches suggests he is on the path to recovery, but he is not yet at full capacity.
The decision to withdraw him from the England squad is seen as a precaution to allow him more time to rest and regain his best form.
