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Chelsea manager Alonso insists Cole Palmer is committed to playing for England

Palmer pulled out of England squad due to injuryAttacker available for Chelsea’s game with BournemouthXabi Alonso has said Cole Palmer is committed to playing for England and revealed Chelsea’s No 10 missed this international break with a problem related to…

By Jacob Steinberg · The Guardian

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 9:30 PM

Key Things to Know

Xabi Alonso insisted Cole Palmer remains fully committed to playing for England despite missing international duty.
England manager Thomas Tuchel had publicly questioned Palmer's desire after the attacker withdrew from the squad.
Alonso revealed Palmer's absence was caused by the careful management of a recurring groin issue.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has defended Cole Palmer's commitment to England following public criticism from national team manager Thomas Tuchel. Alonso clarified that the 24-year-old attacker withdrew from international duty due to ongoing management of a persistent groin issue rather than a lack of desire to represent his country.

Palmer is fit to feature for Chelsea against Bournemouth on Saturday after using the international window to recover. Tuchel previously questioned Palmer's availability after he missed Nations League fixtures, but Alonso insisted the forward remains fully dedicated to playing for both club and country once healthy.

Read the full article on The Guardian

Chelsea manager Alonso insists Cole Palmer is committed to playing for England

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