England's Nations League Squad Reshuffle: Tuchel Calls Up Garner and Gibbs-White

England have been forced into a sharp reshuffle ahead of their Nations League fixtures, with five players withdrawing and two late call-ups drafted in by Thomas Tuchel.

Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice and Tino Livramento have all pulled out of the squad, stripping Tuchel of significant quality across the pitch just days before the team meets up.

Into the gap step Everton midfielder James Garner and Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White, who will report for duty on Tuesday.

Tuchel turns to Garner and Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White’s inclusion feels like the completion of a plan rather than a panic move. Tuchel admitted on Friday that the 26-year-old was close to making the original list, and the Forest playmaker now gets his chance after being overlooked for the 2026 World Cup squad.

He already has six caps and arrives as a club captain, in form and trusted to shoulder responsibility.

Garner’s path is similar. The Everton midfielder made both of his two senior England appearances in March but, like Gibbs-White, missed out on the World Cup. Now he returns as part of a patched-up but still intriguing midfield group.

Injuries hit across the pitch

The withdrawals cut deep.

Palmer’s absence will sting. Recalled after the controversy of being left out of the World Cup squad, the Chelsea forward had been one of the headline names in Tuchel’s plans. Instead, a minor injury rules him out just as he looked set to re-establish himself on the international stage.

At Manchester United, Mainoo and Rashford were both taken off late in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham and subsequently assessed by the club. Neither has been passed fit to link up with England, denying Tuchel a dynamic young midfielder and an experienced attacking option in one hit.

Rice’s withdrawal removes the side’s midfield anchor. The Arsenal man played the full 90 minutes in their 3-0 defeat by Brighton but will not be available for the national team, leaving a sizeable hole in the centre of the pitch.

Livramento also drops out. The Newcastle defender has been restricted to three substitute appearances this season, and his stop-start campaign continues with another setback to his international ambitions.

Tuchel now heads into the Nations League window with a thinner, younger squad, fresh faces in Garner and Gibbs-White, and a clear test of England’s depth under pressure.