England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Manchester City’s recent Premier League financial verdict has become a major talking point within the England camp.
The development comes as the Three Lions prepare for their Nations League meeting with Croatia, with several Manchester City players currently involved with the national team.
City were found guilty by an independent commission of financial rule breaches covering nine seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18. The club has consistently denied wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Speaking ahead of England’s clash with Croatia, Tuchel acknowledged that the Manchester City situation has been discussed among his players.
The England boss said there had been conversations about the case during breaks between matches, adding that the issue was naturally attracting attention within the squad.
Tuchel also revealed that he had spoken briefly with the Manchester City players in the England camp but deliberately avoided offering his own assessment of the ongoing legal matter.
He said he did not want to comment extensively on an issue he described as being outside his area of expertise.
Several Manchester City players are part of the current England squad, including Elliot Anderson and Marc Guehi.
Nico O’Reilly was also initially part of the group but subsequently returned to his club after suffering an injury.
The situation has created uncertainty for players connected to the club, particularly as Manchester City have formally appealed the commission’s findings.
The appeal will determine whether the verdict is upheld or overturned before any potential disciplinary consequences are finalised.
Tuchel was also asked whether he would continue selecting Manchester City players for England if the club were eventually relegated from the Premier League.
The German manager indicated that a player’s club status would not automatically prevent them from representing the national team.
He explained that selection would continue to be based on the needs of the England squad, the specific competition and the individual player’s circumstances.
Tuchel therefore left the door open to selecting players who could potentially be playing outside the Premier League in the future.
Despite the attention surrounding Manchester City, Tuchel insisted that England’s immediate priority is their Nations League fixture against Croatia.
England currently have three points from their opening two matches in Group A3 after losing to Spain before recovering with a victory over the Czech Republic.
The match against Croatia is scheduled to take place behind closed doors in Rijeka.
Tuchel also provided an update on his squad’s fitness, confirming that most of the players trained normally ahead of the encounter.
Manchester City remain determined to challenge the independent commission’s findings.
The club has maintained its innocence throughout the investigation and has now begun the appeal process in an attempt to overturn the verdict.
While the case continues, the issue is likely to remain a subject of discussion among the club’s players, supporters and wider football community.
For Tuchel and England, however, attention has shifted back to preparations for the Nations League as the national team continues its campaign.
