A must pick or unreliable? Tuchel's Palmer dilemma

Palmer missed Tuchel's first camp with a hamstring injury in March 2025, but went on to play 90 minutes in Chelsea's first Premier League match after that international break.

He then featured in the June fixtures, playing in a 1-0 win away to Andorra before being an unused substitute in a friendly defeat by Senegal.

During the September, October and November international breaks that followed, Palmer was managing a recurring groin problem, which severely limited his club appearances during the early part of last season.

He last featured for England in March, coming on as a substitute in the 56th minute of a 1-1 draw with Uruguay before starting against Japan, where he lasted only 59 minutes in a 1-0 home defeat.