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Thomas Tuchel supports Ivan Toney’s return to the England squad after scoring 28 goals for Al-Ahli. Toney replaces Dom Solanke, while Trevoh Chalobah also joins.
Ivan Toney has returned to England’s national football setup. (AFP Photo)
Head coach Thomas Tuchel has fully supported Ivan Toney’s return to the England squad after the 29-year-old was called up for the first time since joining the Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.
Toney was part of the England squad that lost in the 2024 European Championship finals, where he appeared as a substitute. However, he was left out of Tuchel’s squad in March. His performance this season, with 28 goals in 42 appearances for Al-Ahli, earned him his place back.
“He deserves to be with us, and I am convinced because he scored over 20 goals for his team this season. He won a major title in the Asian Champions League and made significant contributions with goals and assists.
“It is a good opportunity now to also test new players and see how they fit into the environment. We decided to select three strikers for the squad. I had a call with Dom Solanke, who also deserved to be with us and won a big trophy this season, but he was already in camp, and I have a clear picture of what he can bring. Now is the moment to see new players and integrate them into the group,” Tuchel said at a press conference.
The German coach also explained that an injury to Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi resulted in a first senior call-up for Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, who has previously represented England at various youth levels from U16s to U21s.
“Marc was meant to be with us, of course. He is the captain of Crystal Palace, and they had a significant win in the FA Cup. He is a major part of their success story. Unfortunately, he got injured in the final, and the specialist advised us not to take the risk.
“As for Trevoh, he deserves it. It’s as simple as that. He has played a fantastic second half of the season with Chelsea and has been very consistent at a high level,” Tuchel added.
(With IANS Inputs)
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London, United Kingdom (UK)
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