Thomas Tuchel has welcomed Anthony Gordon's surprise move from Newcastle to Barcelona, viewing it as a boost to the competitive rivalry between Gordon and Marcus Rashford for England's left-wing berth. Speaking after England's 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand in Tampa, the head coach said the transfer made his trips to watch matches easier and added: 'I can only encourage people to go to nice places.'
Tuchel was otherwise in a less playful mood, complaining about his team's lack of positional discipline, particularly in a narrow first-half shape. He changed all 11 players at half-time, with Gordon replacing Rashford. The pair are competing for one of the most hotly contested spots in Tuchel's squad, with the manager emphasising the importance of playing players in their correct roles rather than fitting square pegs into round holes.
Rashford, 28, impressed against New Zealand, creating a game-high five chances, though his shooting was erratic. He has spent the season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, with a €30m (£26m) option-to-buy clause that United have insisted is non-negotiable. Barcelona, who have already paid €70m plus €10m in add-ons for Gordon, may now face a decision on whether to also sign Rashford. Tuchel described the situation as 'a slight quirk'.
The England manager has consistently supported Rashford, recalling him in March 2025 despite limited playing time at Aston Villa, and has included him whenever fit. Tuchel identified 14 or 15 potential starters, with Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Marc Guéhi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane among the likely first-choice picks. He also confirmed Jude Bellingham is competing with Morgan Rogers for the No 10 role, with Bellingham impressing after replacing Rogers against New Zealand. The battle for places, particularly between Gordon and Rashford, is set to intensify before England's World Cup opener against Croatia on 17 June.
