Thomas Tuchel has shared some worrying comments about Bukayo Saka just days before England get their 2026 World Cup campaign underway.

England begin their bid to become world champions for the first time since 1966 on Wednesday, June 17 when they face Croatia in Arlington, Texas.

They play Ghana in Boston on Tuesday, June 23 before concluding their group campaign against Panama on Saturday, June 27 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

England have one of the strongest squads in world football and go into the tournament as one of the favourites. However, they may not be at full strength with Tuchel revealing Saka’s injury issues.

Bukayo Saka Not at 100%, Says Thomas Tuchel

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Saka, when fully fit, is one of England’s first names on the teamsheet. He has nailed down his place on the right of England’s front three over the last few years.

However, the 24-year-old has been struggling with injuries over the last few months. He suffered an achilles injury in March, which kept him out of action for around a month.

Tuchel has revealed that Saka is still not 100% following that injury, to the extent that he can’t even complete consecutive training sessions.

Speaking ahead of England’s friendly against Costa Rica, Tuchel said, per the Guardian: “Declan is on 100% and Bukayo is still getting there, playing through discomfort at the end of the season … obviously managing it and playing at a high level but still not on his 100%,” Tuchel said. “He is the one we are building and taking care of in training. Declan is 100%, Ebs is 100%, Noni is 100%.

“Arsenal brought him back [at the end of April] and he was straight away decisive. And then they decided together – Bukayo and Arsenal – to let him play through his pain and discomfort, even if it was not possible to train the whole week in the buildups. I think it is very unlikely Bukayo starts and finishes all the matches from now on.”

Tuchel Speaks About Jude Bellingham’s Importance

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One of Tuchel’s biggest decisions ahead of the World Cup is whether Bellingham starts. Tuchel was asked about the Real Madrid star’s importance with his place in the side under scrutiny.

Tuchel said: “We have a lot of proof we can win football matches without Jude and that’s the more important headline. Jude is with us. Jude is in amazing form but we have to stop talking about individuals. Jude will not win this World Cup alone. It’s simply impossible. No one will win this World Cup alone. We win it as a team.

“I will not play this game. You [in the media] can play this game. We have Harry [Kane], we have Declan, we have Jude, we have Morgan, we have Bukayo Saka. We have big, big players and some of them will be on the bench.

“It is a long tournament and the guys we pick tomorrow [against Costa Rica], the guys we pick against Croatia are not necessarily the guys that we pick in all the games.

“They need to understand that not all of them will start all of the time at the same time. They can play decisive roles when they finish the matches. They can still be upset with my decision, angry and not aligned with my decision but they have to accept it and then push their teammates.”

Newcastle United have made contact for an up-and-coming winger, according to The Athletic, as the Magpies look to refresh their squad heading into next season.

Eddie Howe‘s side face a tough summer transfer window, following a disappointing campaign in the Premier League, with key players set to leave the club in the coming weeks.

That process has already begun, with Anthony Gordon joining Barcelona, while links persist over the likes of Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall, and Tino Livramento.

Those stars will need to be replaced, likely at a lower cost, with players who are capable of improving over time to get Newcastle back to the top.

With that in mind, contact has been made over one transfer target.

Newcastle Want Anan Khalaili

According to a report from The Athletic, Newcastle have expressed interest with Union Saint-Gilloise over a possible move to sign 21-year-old winger Anan Khalaili.

It’s claimed that the Magpies are one of several teams eyeing a deal for the up-and-coming forward, as Tottenham, Bournemouth, and Napoli have also made it clear they have an interest.

There hasn’t been a concrete offer made yet, with Khalaili’s contract running until 2028 with the option of another year included in his deal with the Belgian side.

The 21-year-old has been at USG since 2024, after signing from Maccabi Haifa, where he has since progressed to become a regular starter for his club with 99 appearances to his name.

In the past season, Khalaili has made 52 appearances with six goals and six assists, with three of those finishes coming in the Champions League this campaign.

The winger’s quality has caught the eye, particularly in the European competition, having been described as a “top player” who is capable in one-on-one situations, as well as having quality with his crossing.

It may be exactly what Newcastle need out of a new recruit, but the club won’t stop there in their pursuit of new signings.

Newcastle’s Winger Transfers

Newcastle will have several different areas to consider in the market, but forward options will be at the top of the list, following a downturn in scoring last season.

The Magpies hadn’t quite managed to replace the output of Alexander Isak, which may only be further hindered by the recent sale of Gordon to Barcelona.

Wingers will be on the mind as a result, with Khalaili not the only player that appears to be on the club’s radar heading into the summer window.

Victor Munoz has been linked with a move to Newcastle, with claims that he is viewed as the perfect Gordon replacement, while the report from The Athletic claims that Koln star Said El Mala and Hoffenheim ace Bazoumana Toure have also been scouted extensively.

All of them have great potential, but it remains to be seen who will be identified as the ideal option to bring success now, and in the future.

Tottenham’s hierarchy may have plenty of regrets over the transfer business of the past, but perhaps none are quite as scarring as last summer’s market and the damage it has done.

Spurs were made to look weak at times last year, as targets came and went, with rivals left and right snapping them up instead of the Lilywhites.

In the end, very few of the arrivals in that market made the impact that many would’ve hoped for, as Tottenham narrowly avoided an embarrassing relegation from the Premier League.

After a clear warning shot from last campaign’s dismal performance, work is already being done to improve the team, erasing the ghosts of transfer windows past.

Plenty of the deals being conducted are with a view to the future, but perhaps the club would do well to look back at last year’s window to push for one star they missed out on.

Tottenham Revive Morgan Gibbs-White Interest

Last year, Tottenham missed out on a few players, one of them being Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, after a long pursuit of the playmaker.

The England international had a £60m release clause in his deal, but his side decided to offer a new contract that would keep him at the City Ground until 2028.

Tottenham quickly moved on, with a move for Eberechi Eze falling through, before the Lilywhites eventually landed Xavi Simons for the role instead.

It hasn’t quite worked out for the Dutchman, who struggled to match the pace and physicality of the Premier League, even though there were signs that he has the quality to take control of a game.

A serious knee injury looks set to rule Simons out for a while, as Dejan Kulusevski’s condition remains unknown, Mohamed Kudus has battled injury issues, and James Maddison has only just returned from a long lay-off of his own.

With that in mind, SportsBoom reports that Tottenham are back in for Gibbs-White once again, following another impressive campaign with Nottingham Forest.

Spurs aren’t the only team in the mix, however, as Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and PSG have all been listed with interest.

It’s no surprise, given the campaign Gibbs-White enjoyed, with his manager Vitor Pereira describing the star as “special” with his displays for the team.

That creates a potentially tough environment for Tottenham to operate in, especially as all their rivals have the advantage of being in Europe next season.

However, it also represents a chance to fix a mistake from last summer.

Tottenham’s Premier League Mistake

Tottenham made several mistakes last summer, one of them was not being able to convince Gibbs-White to make the move from Nottingham Forest.

The other is the lack of Premier League experience they brought in, which translates to stars being unable to adjust to the demands of the league as quickly.

In signing within the division, there is almost a guarantee of a base level quality that the star will bring, which was the strategy Manchester United followed when they signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

The only signings made like that last summer were Joao Palhinha and Kudus. That blueprint is now one that Tottenham are following closely, with Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson adding that experience of the division, while pursuits are ongoing for Jan Paul van Hecke and Savinho.

Throwing Gibbs-White into the mix would not only fix the error of missing out on the star, who showed his worth with the individual displays for Forest, but it will add that proven ability to the team.

Spurs must add that extra quality, especially in the midfield, to get the team moving in the right direction once again, and that starts with throwing everything at landing the Nottingham Forest star.