Tuchel Names England Squad: Alexander-Arnold Out, Anderson and Spence In

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad, with Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Tottenham defender Djed Spence both earning senior call-ups for the first time, Sport360NG reports.

The 26-year-old right-back, who swapped Liverpool for Real Madrid this summer, was included in Tuchel’s last selection but misses out on September’s World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. His omission follows a difficult week in Spain, where he was an unused substitute in Madrid’s 3-0 victory at Real Oviedo on Sunday.

Anderson, 22, steps up after an impressive start at Forest following his summer move from Newcastle. The midfielder was also a key figure in England’s Under-21 European Championship triumph earlier this year. Spence, 25, has been rewarded for his consistency at Spurs, where he has missed only a handful of matches since breaking into the team last December.

There is disappointment for Everton winger Jack Grealish, who is overlooked despite impressing in last weekend’s win over Brighton. Tuchel has instead recalled Marcus Rashford and Adam Wharton, while veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson, 35, keeps his place alongside Morgan Gibbs-White.

Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Phil Foden are notable absentees, while Ivan Toney also misses out. Tino Livramento and John Stones return to the fold. Injuries rule out Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill.

England face Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday, 6 September, the senior team’s first appearance at the ground since 2005, before travelling to Belgrade to play Serbia on Tuesday, 9 September. Tuchel’s side top Group K with three wins from three, although they lost their most recent outing, a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal in June.

England squad in full

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Dean Henderson

Defenders: Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Adam Wharton, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice

Forwards: Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins

Tuchel said Anderson’s inclusion was recognition of his rapid progress:

“He’s become a regular at Nottingham Forest and had a fantastic season. We’re excited to bring him in and hope he can make his mark.”

Spence, who represented England Under-21s, also earns his chance after establishing himself as a reliable figure at Tottenham.

For Alexander-Arnold, though, the decision caps a frustrating week. Having described his Madrid move as a “dream come true” in June, he now faces the dual challenge of fighting for a starting place at club level while working his way back into Tuchel’s plans just nine months before the 2026 World Cup.