What Thomas Tuchel privately told Adam Wharton after latest England squad omission
Thomas Tuchel shocked England fans when he chose not to select a fully fit Adam Wharton for the Three Lions’ latest set of international matches.
Wharton missed out last time through injury, and Elliot Anderson impressed for England in the 21-year-old’s absence.
There was a belief that Wharton may make the squad as Reece James withdrew with injury, but Nico O’Reilly was selected for the England squad instead.
Jack Grealish wasn’t picked by England either, with Tuchel’s latest squad throwing up a host of questions.
Thomas Tuchel wanted continuity in his England squad
Wharton and Grealish could both have felt hard done by to miss out on a place in England’s squad, especially given players like Morgan Rogers made the squad despite a poor start to the campaign.
The BBC’s chief football writer, Phil McNulty, explained the reason for Wharton’s absence during BBC Sport’s Q&A (Tuesday, 7 October).
McNulty wrote: “I totally agree that he has been one of the Premier League players of the season and, having seen him run the show against Liverpool at Selhurst Park.
“I was really surprised he was not in the latest England squad. He revealed he had a text from head coach Thomas Tuchel explaining that he thought he was doing well but wanted to stick with the same squad this time.
“It can’t be too long before he is in, though. He is simply too good to be left out for much longer.”
Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson provide composure to England’s midfield
Wharton and Anderson’s skillsets are unique amongst England’s wider squad, with Tuchel having a plethora of ball carriers to choose from, but very few technically gifted players.
Of the crop of players currently in Tuchel’s apparent thinking, Wharton and Anderson stand out as England’s best technicians in midfield, with Angel Gomes and Kobbie Mainoo, the other options of past squads, seemingly not in the German’s current thought process.
| Adam Wharton 2025-26 | Stat |
| Progressive passes per 90 | 5.4 |
| Key passes per 90 | 2.2 |
| Passes into final third per 90 | 4 |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 3.39 |
| Pass accuracy per 90 | 78.4% |
With one eye on the upcoming World Cup finals in 2026, it is a surprise that Wharton wasn’t chosen for the penultimate international break of the season.
As it is, Tuchel will have to rely on the technical skill of Anderson once again to be the glue in his midfield, with Wharton watching on from home.