Maguire, Trent pushing for England recalls - but Palmer a doubt

Harry Maguire is poised to end Manchester United’s 18-month exile from the England squad, with the experienced centre-back leading a clutch of Old Trafford team-mates who have forced their way onto Thomas Tuchel’s radar ahead of the spring friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

Sources close to the England camp expect Maguire, 64-cap stalwart and veteran of 12 World Cup finals matches, to be the first United player selected since September 2024. The 32-year-old has regained full fitness after an injury-plagued 2025 and has re-established himself as Michael Carrick’s defensive leader during a run of seven wins in nine games.

Kobbie Mainoo’s resurgence has also caught Tuchel’s eye. The 19-year-old midfielder, who featured in every England youth age group before his senior bow, has started to recapture the form that made him a breakout star, although questions linger over his ability to sustain 90-minute intensity after a stop-start period under previous club management.

Luke Shaw remains an outside bet at left-back, yet medical staff are wary of his history of breakdowns during congested tournament schedules. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and the versatile Tino Livramento are viewed as safer full-back options, with Livramento’s capacity to operate on either flank adding valuable cover.

In midfield, Everton’s James Garner is on the cusp of a first senior invitation. The 25-year-old, a key figure in England’s 2023 U21 European Championship triumph, produced an eye-catching display against Arsenal last weekend and has leapfrogged several rivals in Tuchel’s internal depth chart.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s prospects have brightened after a sequence of starts for Real Madrid. The right-back has been absent from the national set-up since June last year but retains the German coach’s admiration for his technical range; with Reece James still sidelined, a recall appears increasingly probable.

Jude Bellingham is set to be included despite continuing rehabilitation from a hamstring strain sustained on 1 February. Even if the midfielder is restricted to light training during the Wembley double-header, Tuchel values having his senior core on site as planning intensifies for this summer’s World Cup.

The most contentious deliberations surround the No 10 role. Cole Palmer, so often Chelsea’s creative spark, finds his place jeopardised by an indifferent campaign disrupted by injury. While his six goals and three assists in 2026 still outperform Morgan Rogers (five involvements), Eberechi Eze (six) and Phil Foden (one assist, no goals in 16 games), Tuchel is weighing whether to trim his attacking pool or stage an open competition.

Eze enhanced his case with a spectacular Champions League strike against Leverkusen on Tuesday and offers auxiliary width on the left, adding tactical flexibility that could edge Palmer out of the final travelling party.

Up front, Harry Kane’s relentless form—17 goals and two assists in 14 outings since New Year’s Day—has again underlined his irreplaceable status. The search for reliable back-up grows urgent: Ollie Watkins has mustered only three club goals in 2026, potentially opening the door for seasoned campaigners Danny Welbeck or Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

With the World Cup kick-off 12 weeks away and just two friendlies remaining before Tuchel must whittle his roster to 25, every selection this month carries heightened significance. The manager’s decisions over the next 72 hours will shape both the immediate spring camp and the broader narrative heading into global football’s showpiece event.