Kobbie Mainoo and his Manchester United team-mates Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are “absolutely back in the frame” for England selection, Thomas Tuchel has said.
Tuchel, 52, was optimistic that Jude Bellingham will return to fitness ahead of the March international break after suffering a hamstring injury in Real Madrid’s victory over Rayo Vallecano earlier this month.
Mainoo did not start any Premier League match for United under former head coach Ruben Amorim this season, but the central midfielder has now started in six successive games including all five under Michael Carrick.
The interim appointment of Carrick has overseen a sharp upturn in form for United, who have taken 13 points from five league games, with defenders Shaw and Maguire — now playing in a defensive four, rather than Amorim’s back five — starting every game in that run.
“It is great that he is back on the pitch,” Tuchel said of Mainoo, when explaining why he was back in contention for an England place.
“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).
“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.”
All 10 of Mainoo’s international appearances for England came in 2024, but the midfielder’s falling out of favour under Amorim had seen him overlooked by Tuchel.
Maguire, who has been capped 64 times by England, has not been selected under Tuchel and has not returned to the international scene since being overlooked by Gareth Southgate for the European Championship in 2024.
Left-back Shaw, like Mainoo, started England’s Euro 2024 final loss to Spain but had not been selected since then.
When asked on Bellingham’s fitness, Tuchel said that his club side Madrid had “a more defensive outlook” on his recovery timeline but there was a possibility he would be available for England’s friendly games against Uruguay and Japan at the end of March.
“Jude is pushing, and as we know him, he is determined and super professional,” Tuchel said. “He will try everything to be with us in March.
“Of course we are in contact (with the player and Madrid), 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.
“Personally, I am optimistic, but I am not sure.”
England host Uruguay on March 27 before playing Japan four days later in the final international break of the club season, ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals.