England manager Thomas Tuchel says he would "never rule out" picking a player who is not in his country's top flight, a comment that matters because Manchester City could, in theory, end up outside it. He was speaking in Rijeka on Friday, ahead of England's Nations League game against Croatia on Saturday (17:00 BST).
The City verdict in the England camp
On Tuesday an independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. The club denies guilt and has appealed, saying the ruling contained "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe". Sanctions have not yet been decided, but the possible punishments include expulsion from the league, points deductions and fines.
The England squad includes City's Elliot Anderson and Marc Guehi, and Nico O'Reilly was in the group until he left with an injury. Tuchel said the subject is big in camp. "Everyone speaks about it, so there is no other voice needed," he said, adding that he was glad not to be that voice because nobody needs his half knowledge of the topic. The players talk about it, he said, and the City lads in particular, but he only discusses it with them briefly. On the pitch, he said, they are ready to go.
Would he pick outside the top flight?
Asked directly, Tuchel said there is always a possibility. He would always try to pick the best team for the camp, the occasion and the tournament, he explained, and would not rule someone out because they do not play in the top flight in their country. Each case, he said, has to be looked at individually.
Precedent, of a sort
That is rare for England. Every one of the 24 players in the current squad plays in a top league. Even so, there is precedent of a sort. James Trafford was in Tuchel's squads in March and June 2025 while still at Burnley in the Championship, though he was an unused substitute on both occasions and did not win a full cap until he returned to City. Sam Johnstone was the last player to appear for England while in the Championship, with West Brom in 2021, and Kalvin Phillips made his debut while at Leeds before he had played in the Premier League.
For now it is a hypothetical, with the appeal unresolved and no sanction set. What it does show is how far the verdict has already reached into the England camp, and that Tuchel plans to keep an open mind about who is worth picking, wherever they play.
Match facts: Croatia v England, UEFA Nations League, Saturday 3 October 2026, 17:00 BST, Rijeka. Tuchel's comments were made at a Friday press conference reported by BBC Sport. City's appeal against the guilty verdict is pending and no sanctions have been announced.
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