Cole Palmer’s international absence has opened a fresh fault line in England’s midfield debate, but Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso insists the 24-year-old remains fully committed to the Three Lions as he works back towards full fitness.
Palmer’s England absence draws scrutiny
- Palmer, who has 14 England caps and two international goals, was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad last summer.
- He then missed England’s latest Nations League camp because of an adductor muscle problem.
- Before England’s 3-2 defeat to Spain, Tuchel expressed frustration at another missed gathering, saying Palmer had been absent from too many camps through injury.
- The England manager said he did not blame the Chelsea player personally, but stressed that he could only assess players properly when they were present with the national squad.
Alonso backs Chelsea midfielder
Speaking before Chelsea’s Premier League meeting with Bournemouth on Saturday at 4pm, Alonso said Palmer’s priority was to recover fully and rediscover his best level.
“The most important thing for Cole is to be fully fit, enjoy his football and feel good,” Alonso said. “When he is not at his best, as we saw against Brentford, he struggles.”
Palmer featured in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford on September 18, a performance Alonso used to underline the importance of managing the player’s physical condition. The Chelsea coach said Palmer was keen to play, but needed to be fit enough to do so.
“We need him, both the club and the national team,” Alonso added.
Recovery plan ahead of Bournemouth
Palmer has played in every Chelsea match this season, recording four goals and two assists across seven appearances in all competitions. He is expected to be available for Bournemouth after Chelsea used the opening two weeks of the international break to manage his recovery.
Alonso said the issue was partly connected to pubalgia and that Chelsea had deliberately avoided rushing the attacking midfielder back. Palmer trained last week and reported an improvement in how he felt.
Asked whether Palmer could be considered a world-class player without regular England involvement, Alonso said international recognition normally follows sustained club form.
“When you show at club level that you are a top player and keep starting matches, the step into the national team usually comes naturally,” he said.
