England head coach Thomas Tuchel has stated that he will never exclude the possibility of calling up players not in the top division for the national team if Manchester City are relegated as punishment for financial breaches. An independent commission found the club guilty of violating Premier League rules from 2009 to 2018, but the 'Citizens' have lodged an appeal. Potential sanctions could include expulsion from the league, points deductions, and fines.
The current England squad features Manchester City players Elliot Anderson and Mark Guehi, while Nico O'Reilly has left the camp due to injury. Addressing the possibility of selecting players from non-top-flight clubs, Tuchel remarked:
There is always that possibility. I will always strive to pick the best team for the gathering, for the particular case, for the tournament. I will never rule out a player just because they don’t play in the top division of their country. We need to look at each case individually.
Tuchel also added that the verdict concerning Manchester City has become a significant topic of discussion within the squad ahead of their Nations League match against Croatia in Rijeka. According to Tuchel, the players have been actively discussing this event among themselves, but there is full concentration on the upcoming game during training and in the camp.
