England release Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka ahead of Japan friendly
Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are among eight players to leave the England squad before Tuesday’s friendly against Japan at Wembley.
An official statement confirmed the pair are returning to the Premier League leaders for a medical assessment.
They had originally been part of a distinct group of players rested for the recent 1-1 draw with Uruguay.
Injury setbacks force withdrawals
Winger Noni Madueke departs the setup after suffering a heavy collision during the first half of Friday’s stalemate.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Manchester City defender John Stones have also been released after sustaining a knock and a calf issue respectively.
Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale complete the list of departures having already featured against the South Americans.
Tuchel balances squad rotation
The German manager previously outlined a strategy to split his selection across these two pre-World Cup fixtures.
This novel approach was designed to ensure his core group of established internationals receives adequate rest.
Nine fresh faces will now integrate into the remaining 27-man group, including returning captain Harry Kane and Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon.
Promising talents such as Morgan Rogers, Elliott Anderson and Nico O’Reilly have also arrived alongside experienced defenders Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa and Dan Burn.
Meanwhile, medical staff have cleared Phil Foden to remain with the national team despite the playmaker enduring a forceful challenge from Ronald Araujo in their previous outing.
