Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has thrown his support behind Cole Palmer, insisting the attacker remains fully committed to representing England despite withdrawing from the latest international squad through injury.
Palmer, who was omitted from England’s World Cup squad this year after a persistent groin problem disrupted his form, had been recalled by Thomas Tuchel for Nations League fixtures against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia.
However, the 24-year-old was forced to pull out of the squad following a recurrence of the issue, prompting Tuchel to say the player “misses too many opportunities” to play in an England shirt.
Alonso: Fitness Is the Priority
Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League meeting with Bournemouth, Alonso stressed that Palmer’s priority must be regaining full fitness.
“The most important thing for Cole is to be fully fit, that he enjoys his game, that he is feeling OK,” Alonso said.
“Whenever he is not, like in the Brentford game, we could see that he was struggling. He’s committed but he needs to be fully fit to play. We need him – the club and the national team.”
The Spaniard confirmed that Palmer has been making progress during the international break, describing the period as an opportunity for recovery.
“Now he’s fine. He’s been feeling better this week. We use the first two weeks for him to recover. It’s a little bit from the pubalgia (groin injury) he had.”
Chelsea’s League Position
Chelsea, currently 10th in the Premier League standings, host 17th-placed Bournemouth on Saturday as they look to climb the table.
Palmer’s availability will be a key factor for Alonso’s side, with the manager making clear that the player’s long-term fitness remains central to both club and country ambitions.
