Arsenal winger Noni Madueke has been left out of England's November squad despite his productive performances in recent matches. Thomas Tuchel has omitted the 24-year-old even with Bukayo Saka injured, although five other Arsenal players have been called up.
Madueke has scored three goals and provided one assist in his last eight matches for the reigning English champions.
He scored in Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League win over Slavia Prague, having previously earned Arsenal three points in a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Those performances had raised expectations that Tuchel would recall the winger, particularly with Saka absent because of a quadriceps injury.
But the manager opted for other players, including youngsters Josh King of Fulham and Jobe Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund.
Madueke misses out on England call-up again
Madueke was part of England's squad at the 2026 World Cup in the summer and started four matches as the team reached the semi-finals.
However, he missed the previous international camp, when England played Nations League matches against Spain, Czechia and Croatia.
Madueke responded with productive performances for Arsenal but has yet to receive another call-up.
His absence gives him extra time to recover ahead of the rest of Arsenal's season. Tuchel had not explained his decision at the time of publication.
Rice returns despite workload questions
Unlike Madueke, Declan Rice has been called up to the national team.
The midfielder missed last month's internationals to reduce his workload and recover. Since returning, he has played regularly for Arsenal and started against Slavia despite extensive rotation.
Mikel Arteta explained his decision:
The game demanded it, so he played. He was rested against Fleetwood, so he had a good week to recover.
It is his second game of the week, not his fifth. We expect our players to be able to handle that workload. I think he had quite a few good moments.
Questions about Rice's fitness first arose in the summer, when he experienced nerve-related pain in the back of his thigh at the World Cup and received injections to continue playing.
Despite a short rest after the tournament, the midfielder was able to prepare for the start of the season. However, a few weeks ago, he attracted attention again when he clutched the back of his right thigh during a 2-0 win over Everton.
Five Arsenal players in England squad
Alongside Rice, Tuchel has called up Ben White, who returns to the national team after missing the World Cup with a knee injury.
In March, the defender played against Uruguay, scoring a goal and conceding a penalty.
Ezri Konsa, Eberechi Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly have also been included in the November squad.
Arsenal will therefore send five players to the England squad, while Madueke will have an opportunity to recover and continue working with his club.
