Thomas Tuchel will confirm his first England squad since the World Cup on Friday morning, and Cole Palmer is among the players being considered for a recall.
The timing matters because England are moving into their next set of England fixtures with Tuchel now making the key selection calls himself. That means decisions on the No 10 role, and on players who were left out at the World Cup, are back in focus.
Palmer's case for a return
Palmer was not selected for the World Cup, where Tuchel instead took Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers. Phil Foden and Morgan Gibbs-White were also left out. Now, with Tuchel weighing up options in attack and behind the striker, Palmer is understood to be in the mix again.
His recent output gives the recall case some weight. Palmer has four goals and two assists, a return that keeps him in the conversation as Tuchel looks for players who can handle the creative burden in central areas.
There are other factors in play too. Some of the players who went to the World Cup are injured, while Tuchel also has players competing for the No 10 spot. That opens the door for movement in a squad that could look different from the one that went to the tournament.
What Tuchel is changing
Before the World Cup, Josh King was one of four youngsters included as a training player for England's camp in Florida, while Alex Scott was selected after failing to make the cut. Those calls show how much evaluation was already happening before Tuchel settled on his tournament squad.
England finished third at the World Cup, but the team faced criticism for its performance in the semi-final defeat by Argentina. Tuchel now has the chance to reset the picture with a fresh selection, and Friday morning will give the first clear sign of how he wants this next phase to look.
For Palmer, the question is simple: does his form and profile earn him another England chance? The answer will arrive when Tuchel's squad is announced.
