Jude Bellingham is aggressively pushing to participate in England's final matches before departing for North America, but Real Madrid's assessment of his hamstring injury is notably more pessimistic. The central midfielder sustained the problem during a victory over Rayo Vallecano nearly two weeks ago, with Real initially targeting the beginning of next month as a feasible return date.
Extended Absence Concerns Emerge
However, it has since come to light that the Spanish giants now fear an extended period of absence for the 22-year-old star. This development could significantly impact England's upcoming home friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, casting doubt on Bellingham's availability for these crucial preparatory fixtures.
The Football Association maintains constant dialogue with Bellingham, and Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel has expressed cautious optimism that the midfielder will be fit in time. 'The club is a bit more defensive on the outlook regarding the weeks of his recovery,' Tuchel stated. 'Jude is pushing, and as we know him, he is determined and super professional.'
Tuchel's Supportive Stance
'He will try everything to be with us in March. Of course we are in contact, that is a normal thing to do, and we wish him all the best. Whatever we can do for him, we will help and support him. It is a little race against time,' Tuchel added, highlighting the supportive approach from the England camp.
Tuchel made these remarks following England's challenging Nations League draw, which pitted them against Spain, Croatia, and Czechia. The tournament will feature four games staged across a single international break in September, coinciding with a three-week hiatus in the Premier League that Tuchel described as 'weird'.
Manchester United Trio in Contention
Amidst the injury concerns, Tuchel also opened the door for a Manchester United trio to potentially earn recalls to the national squad in the coming months. Kobbie Mainoo has returned to the United side under Michael Carrick, and Tuchel revealed that the midfielder, who played a prominent role at the European Championship, is 'absolutely back in the frame'.
'First of all, it is great that he is back on the pitch. He is such a huge talent. He has played already a tournament from start to finish for England, so he is back in the picture, so is Luke Shaw and so is Harry (Maguire),' Tuchel explained.
'There are some players suddenly back in the picture, they play a back four now and play with a different style which is a bit easier to translate to our structure at the moment. It's good competition,' he concluded, emphasizing the positive dynamics emerging within the squad selection process.
