Thomas Tuchel will become the third foreign manager in the history of the England men’s national team when he inks his contract.
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager is heading back to English soil, having repeatedly confessed his appreciation for the country’s football culture and a number of the Three Lions’ top talents.
A move to the Wembley dugout will see Tuchel reunite with several big names, while some of his former charges will be hoping to receive an extra boost to their own international hopes.
Tuchel’s arrival at the England helm could be the catalyst for Mason Mount’s return to the international scene.
Mount made 87 appearances under Tuchel at Chelsea, racking up 19 goals and 19 assists, one of which set up the Blues’ Champions League-winning strike. The pair enjoyed a close relationship, with Tuchel openly admitting his admiration for the midfielder on a number of occasions.
“He has the full package,” Tuchel said in 2021. “Mentally, in terms of talent and physically and the most important part is his character, he has his feet on the ground and he’s a nice guy.”
Injuries have been the primary issue for Mount’s England dreams following his switch to Manchester United, but Tuchel will undoubtedly be watching his return with eager eyes.
Like Mount, Reece James needs to overcome his fitness problems if he is to return to the England fold, but he has the chance to assume a major role in Tuchel’s international side.
James dazzled for Tuchel’s Chelsea in a 3-4-2-1 setup, operating both as a right wing-back and a right-sided centre-back. Indeed, he was so good that Tuchel joked he’d love to have two of James so he could fill in both positions.
If Tuchel returns to that formation, the idea of James at centre-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold outside him could become a mouthwatering reality.
Tuchel was a driving force behind Bayern Munich‘s push to sign Harry Kane in the summer of 2023 and designed a system which brought 44 goals and 12 assists from the striker in just 45 appearances.
The boss described the chance to work with Kane as a “gift”, having been won over by Kane’s work ethic just as much as his impact in front of goal.
While it doesn’t take a genius to identify Kane as one of England’s most important players, expect the captain to thrive when reunited with his old boss.
An England manager calling up a natural left-back, can you imagine?
Tuchel claimed his 3-4-2-1 setup was “pretty perfect” for Ben Chilwell, whose roaring partnership with Reece James terrorised Europe for the few months in which the pair were both healthy. Chilwell provided six goals and four assists in 39 appearances under the German.
Chilwell is out of favour at Chelsea as it stands, making it hard for Tuchel to justify his inclusion, but it may not take much for the left-back to force his way back into the fold.
In 2021, Tuchel compared Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Michael Ballack as he warned the towering midfielder that he was simply “too talented” to spend his days on the bench. The pep talk didn’t exactly have the desired results, as Loftus-Cheek departed for AC Milan two years later and has not seen an England shirt since 2018.
His time in Milan has been up and down, but Loftus-Cheek now has the opportunity to catch his former coach’s eye once again if he can rediscover his best form.
Tuchel’s preference was to play Loftus-Cheek as a right wing-back, even trusting the midfielder in the Champions League up against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. England hardly need any extra right-backs, but this could be one to watch.
Only Frank Lampard has handed more appearances to Callum Hudson-Odoi than Tuchel so far in the winger’s young career.
The pair didn’t always see eye to eye, with Tuchel struggling to find minutes for the Chelsea academy graduate as a winger, but things have changed for Hudson-Odoi now as the 23-year-old is threatening to live up to his potential away with Nottingham Forest.
Hudson-Odoi’s performances in the Premier League surely have him on the fringes of an England call-up already, so the extra boost of a familiar face could be what he needs to make it back to the Three Lions’ senior squad.
Eric Dier hasn’t played for England since the 2022 World Cup, but Tuchel’s move to Wembley could re-open the door to the Bayern Munich utility man.
Tuchel gleefully relied on Dier as a centre-back following his surprise loan move from Tottenham and did not shy away from praising the often-ridiculed 30-year-old. He described Dier as “excellent” and “an extremely important piece” of the Bayern team.
Dier built up a strong relationship with Tuchel during their shared time in Munich, and the new boss may appreciate the chance to surround himself with a familiar face.
Trevoh Chalobah has never played for England, but if he’s going to get the chance to make his senior debut, it’s going to come under Tuchel.
It was the German who effectively saved Chalobah’s career, turning him from a serial loanee to a regular starter in the Premier League. When the defender’s time with the Blues started to go south, Tuchel pushed for a big-money transfer to Bayern. He clearly has a lot of faith in the 25-year-old.
Chalobah is now out on loan with Crystal Palace, where a string of impressive performances could easily see him make his first appearance for his country.
During Tuchel’s final transfer window in charge of Chelsea, he told Todd Boehly to sign Raheem Sterling at all costs. The winger was his top transfer priority, and the Blues owner duly provided to the tune of £47.5m.
He’d get the chance to play with his shiny new toy for just seven matches before being given the boot, but that short spell together did see Sterling provide three goals.
Now on loan with Arsenal as he attempts to reignite his career at both club and international level, Sterling will hope that Tuchel wants another chance to link up with the winger.
It was Tuchel who gave Conor Gallagher his Chelsea debut on the opening weekend of the 2022/23 season. The young midfielder started three of the first six games of the campaign before Tuchel was given the boot.
Since then, Gallagher has gone from strength to strength and he’s now a star for Atletico Madrid. He’s a major contender to feature in every England squad regardless of who is calling the shots.
Tuchel compared Gallagher to former Chelsea hero N’Golo Kante, and those qualities will only be amplified under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. The German is likely to be a huge fan.
