England manager Thomas Tuchel has strongly defended Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka following their withdrawals from the national squad ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Japan. The German coach selected an expanded 35-man squad for this final training camp before making his World Cup selections, but saw three Arsenal players depart early.
Injury Concerns Force Early Departures
Rice and Saka were among 11 established players who joined the England camp on Friday, only to leave the following day after medical assessments. Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke also departed after sustaining an injury during England's 1-1 draw against Uruguay. The situation has raised eyebrows given that ten Arsenal players have now left their respective national teams during this international break.
Tuchel's Firm Defense
"They joined, had a medical assessment, wanted desperately to play, to just get the narrative straight," Tuchel emphasized during his pre-match press conference. "Wanted desperately to be involved. But it made just no sense to take this risk."
The England manager explained that if this had been a season-ending match, they might have attempted to manage the players through their issues. However, with significant club commitments remaining, the medical team determined the risk of exacerbating injuries was too substantial.
"The risk for making it worse was just way too big," Tuchel stated bluntly.
Addressing Suspicion and Maintaining Trust
Tuchel acknowledged how the situation might appear suspicious to observers, particularly given the number of Arsenal players involved. "I understand the look of it," he conceded. "But given the amount of Arsenal players, I understand the look."
Despite this, the German coach maintained his complete confidence in both players' honesty and commitment to the national team. "I still have 100 per cent trust in the honesty of Bukayo and Declan," he declared. "We did medical tests. I saw them. I have no reason to believe that Declan is not honest with me. I have no reason to believe Bukayo is not honest."
Fitness Battles and Training Efforts
Rice, whom Tuchel estimated was feeling approximately 70 percent fit, actually participated in a pitch session with Jude Bellingham before reporting discomfort. Saka completed two gym sessions in an attempt to demonstrate his readiness for selection.
"They both came," Tuchel emphasized. "Declan was even out on the pitch. He did not come and say 'guys, I'm going home'. I heard there were camps in the past where players did not even show up with boots and stuff. Then it becomes, OK...but they both came."
Ben White's Controversial Return
While Rice, Saka, and Madueke have departed, Arsenal will still have representation against Japan through defender Ben White. The center-back made his first England appearance in four years during the Uruguay match, scoring his maiden international goal but also conceding a penalty that led to Uruguay's equalizer.
White received a mixed reception from Wembley supporters, with some sections booing the defender who had made himself unavailable under previous manager Gareth Southgate after leaving the 2022 World Cup for personal reasons.
Tuchel expressed disappointment with this reaction and hoped for better treatment if White features against Japan. "He has our support and I think he feels our support and the support from the group," the England boss stated.
Squad Challenges and Selection Decisions
The England camp has faced multiple injury setbacks beyond the Arsenal trio. Eberechi Eze was unable to join the squad initially, while John Stones and Adam Wharton have also left through injury.
Regarding White's potential involvement against Japan, Tuchel indicated: "If he plays tomorrow, which there's a chance – because it would make sense to play a lot of players who have fresh legs and didn't start the first match and he is one of them – and if he has a good training session, he's in the mix."
When questioned about whether White had resolved any lingering issues with teammates, Tuchel responded: "I guess so. I'm not involved in all the meetings and talks that go on without the coach... He was good, again good in training and good in the group."
The England manager confirmed that the national team medical staff were aware of Rice and Saka's existing issues following Arsenal's Carabao Cup final appearance. Despite the withdrawals, Tuchel remains focused on preparing his squad for both the Japan friendly and the upcoming World Cup selection process.
