Thomas Tuchel has revealed he plans to contact up to 60 England hopefuls, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, to offer 'honest feedback' before naming his final World Cup squad. The Three Lions boss outlined his intention to personally visit the Real Madrid defender in the Spanish capital to discuss his international future.
Alexander-Arnold has struggled for minutes since his move to Real Madrid, partly due to injury, and was replaced in the November squad by Liverpool teammate Jarell Quansah. Tuchel explained that Quansah is currently 'a tiny bit ahead' due to his consistent performances for Bayer Leverkusen and his physical attributes.
Speaking after England's 2-0 win over Albania, which capped an unbeaten qualifying campaign, Tuchel said: 'It's my job now to make contact with everyone, players like Trent... to reach out, be in touch and explain to them why they were not here.' He added that he prefers FaceTime calls or in-person visits to gauge players' reactions, and could group visits with Jude Bellingham in Madrid.
The German coach stressed that his feedback would cover what players need to improve, whether they can do anything to get selected, or if it is simply a matter of his choice. The longlist for the World Cup is expected to include 55 to 60 players.
