Xabi Alonso has said Cole Palmer is committed to playing for England and Chelsea’s number 10 has revealed he will miss this international break with a problem with the groin injury that kept him out for most of last season.
Thomas Tuchel has made no secret of his disappointment with Palmer, who is fit to face Bournemouth on Saturday after the striker made himself unavailable for the start of his country’s Nations League campaign last month. Tuchel said the 24-year-old had “missed too many opportunities” to play for England and asked if Palmer wanted to be part of the squad.
Palmer has won five since scoring in the Euro 2024 final against Spain, but his latest withdrawal was for genuine reasons. Palmer struggled with persistent groin pain last season, which cost him a place in Tuchel’s World Cup squad, and suffered minor irritation before Chelsea’s defeat to Brentford last month. He still needs careful management and Alonso is confident that Chelsea’s talisman intends to play for England.
“The most important thing for Cole is to be fully fit, enjoy his game and feel good,” said the Chelsea manager. “When he’s not there, like in the Brentford game, we could see him struggling. He’s determined but he has to be fully fit to play. We need him – for the club and the national team.”
The latter issue is nowhere near as bad as when Palmer struggled to hit correctly last season. Rest during the extended break helped. “It’s good now,” Alonso said. “He’s feeling better this week. We’re using the first two weeks for him to recover. It’s a little bit of pubalgia that he’s had.”
Tuchel has plenty of competition in attacking midfield and it remains to be seen whether he will select Palmer for next month’s games against Croatia and Spain. Alonso was asked if a player can really be considered world class if he doesn’t play international football. “Everything happens naturally,” he said. “When you show your club that you’re a top player and that you’re disciplined, it’s a natural way for you to normally be part of the national team.”
Alonso did not hear of broadcaster Piers Morgan calling Palmer a glass case for failing to represent England. “I don’t know the comment and I don’t know the guy,” he said.
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Palmer has been in good form for Chelsea this season, scoring 4 goals. He will need him at his best after three league games without a win. Alonso hopes Rhys James, Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra will also return from injury against Bournemouth.