LONDON: Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford have been called up to the England squad to replace the injured Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope.
The English Football Association (FA) confirmed the participation of the two players yesterday, ahead of the final two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
“Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and Manchester City’s James Trafford have been added to the England squad.
“This follows the withdrawal of two Newcastle United players, Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope, due to injury and concussion,” the FA said in a statement.
The FA also announced that Marc Guehi will continue to be monitored after injuring his leg while playing against AZ Alkmaar.
Chalobah, 26, previously got his first chance with the senior England squad under Thomas Tuchel, who is also a former Chelsea manager in 2021. Under Tuchel’s guidance, he helped the club win the Champions League.
The player, however, has rarely been used by Tuchel in the national squad, and this is his first recall after two international breaks.
This season, Chalobah has played in 10 of Chelsea’s 11 Premier League games, scoring twice, but has also come under fire after being shown a red card in a 3-1 defeat to Brighton in September.
This consistent performance was seen as enough to attract the attention of Tuchel, who has attended several Chelsea matches at Stamford Bridge to monitor several England stars such as Reece James, Cole Palmer, and Liam Delap.
Meanwhile, Tuchel’s England squad has confirmed its place in the 2026 World Cup, after winning all six group matches without conceding, while scoring 18 goals.
England are expected to field a mixed line-up against Serbia and Albania, with the main focus on assessing new players including Chalobah and Trafford.