Cole Palmer has withdrawn from England's squad for the Nations League matches against Spain, Czechia and Croatia with a muscle injury, according to Sky Sports News and ESPN, and Morgan Gibbs-White is set to be called up in his place. The Football Association had not announced the change when this article was published.

Palmer played the full 90 minutes of Chelsea's 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Friday. Thomas Tuchel had recalled him last week after leaving him out of the World Cup squad, and said the Chelsea forward now had to "get his shirt and justify the nomination".

He will not get the chance this month. Palmer has four goals and two assists in seven appearances this season, and had told Sky Sports he felt fitter than he had in a long time after a recurring groin problem disrupted his 2025/26 campaign.

The same swap, 18 months apart

England have been here before. Before the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia in March 2025, the FA added Gibbs-White to the squad while Palmer stayed at Chelsea to be assessed on an injury picked up in training.

Palmer has now dropped out of at least four England squads in two years, including the September and November windows of 2024. His most recent England appearance was the 1-0 friendly defeat by Japan at Wembley on 31 March.

Gibbs-White, 26, was left out of Tuchel's original 27-man squad. The head coach said on Friday that the Nottingham Forest midfielder had been close to selection, and credited his form at the end of last season with keeping Forest in the Premier League. He has six senior caps and last played for England in the 3-0 friendly win over Wales in October 2025.

Palmer may not be the only change

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are both doubts after coming off late in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Fulham. Michael Carrick said Rashford had picked up an issue, while Sky Sports reported that Carrick described Mainoo's substitution as tactical.

Spain at Wembley on Saturday

England open their Nations League campaign against the world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday 26 September, kick-off 19:45 BST. They then play Czechia in Prague on 29 September and Croatia in Rijeka on 3 October, before Czechia visit Wembley on 6 October.