Manchester United icon, Wayne Rooney has asserted that Chelsea player, Cole Palmer ought to have been included in the England squad instead of Noni Madueke.
He argued that the ex-Manchester City player would serve as a superior backup for Bukayo Saka compared to the Arsenal player.
During his appearance on The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC, Rooney said that Madueke has not performed well enough for Arsenal this season to warrant a selection.
He contended that Palmer has outperformed the two players in the 2025/26 season, adding, “Cole? I would, yes, but that’s a decision he has made. And if you observe, it hasn’t turned out too poorly for Arsenal this season. Having Saka and Madueke as backup is sufficient.”
Thomas Tuchel addressed his choice to exclude Palmer, indicating that form was a significant factor. He mentioned that the Chelsea player has not made enough of an impact when called upon and stated:
“I believe he (Palmer) suffers from, firstly, a deficiency in individual form at the club; he was not as decisive or influential as he had been in previous seasons throughout the entire season. Secondly, he was not particularly impactful with us.
“His performance record with us was simply not remarkable, not sufficient to guarantee him a spot regardless of circumstances. That is the reality. He withdrew several times, had to withdraw multiple times due to injury, and when he was in camp, he did not deliver the impact we all desired.”
The Chelsea player has yet to score in any of the three matches since Thomas Tuchel assumed control in 2025 and has missed a significant portion of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to injuries.
