Bukayo Saka is still playing through the pain of an Achilles injury, England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted, casting a shadow over the Arsenal winger’s readiness for the World Cup.
“Bukayo is just not there yet,” Tuchel told reporters on Tuesday. “He is still getting there, playing through discomfort at the end of the season, but obviously managing it and playing at a high level, but still not on his 100 per cent.” Saka, who has scored 14 goals in 48 England appearances, missed part of the domestic season’s climax with the injury before returning to help Arsenal win the Premier League title.
“Bukayo Saka is playing through Achilles pain and unlikely to start all World Cup games, says Thomas Tuchel.”
Tuchel stressed that Saka requires careful handling. “He is at the moment not able to do every training session through the week and then play,” he said. “I think it is very unlikely Bukayo starts and finishes all the matches from now on.” The German said Saka’s Arsenal teammates Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke – who were given an extra week off after the Champions League final – are all at 100% fitness. But Saka remains an exception.
The admission comes as England prepare for their final warm-up match against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday (21:00 BST). Tuchel made 11 changes at half-time in the 1-0 win over New Zealand on Saturday and will use the Costa Rica game to give some players longer run-outs – including John Stones, who played a peripheral role at Manchester City last season.
With Saka likely to be managed, Noni Madueke emerges as the probable replacement. The Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross said: “Why did Tuchel pick Madueke over [Jarrod] Bowen? In my view, he picked him because he’s never let him down… Does Tuchel have any worries about putting Madueke in for these games? No, he absolutely doesn’t.” Tuchel himself noted that Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford could also play on the right, but Madueke is his only other pure option.
Tuchel, who said England must “dare to dream” despite history being against them, acknowledged the physical toll ahead. “A bit of luck”, sharp focus and self-belief could make his team serious challengers, he argued, but having key players available is crucial. “We still have to take a little bit of care for Bukayo who had an injury in March,” Tuchel said. “We are building him up. We just came from training and everyone was involved including Bukayo.”
England kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June. Whether Saka can start that match – and finish it – remains uncertain.