England Focuses on Cautiously Building Up Bukayo Saka

England's national football team was set to take a cautious approach in order to 'build up' Bukayo Saka as Arsenal players joined the squad in Florida. The England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, emphasized the importance of monitoring Saka's fitness ahead of the World Cup 2026.

Saka, along with three other Arsenal players, arrived late to the pre-camp due to participation in the Champions League final. Tuchel expressed concern regarding Saka's previous injury in March, indicating that a structured approach was necessary to ensure he reaches peak form for the upcoming group games. The coach stated, "We still have to take a little bit of care for Bukayo who had an injury in March and carried it through to club. He made himself available at the end of the season and did so brilliantly but he was managed in between matches; that continues a bit at the moment. We are building him up."

The other three Arsenal players, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and Declan Rice, were reported to be '100%' fit and expected to play in the match against Costa Rica on Wednesday. Tuchel praised Rice for his football intelligence and leadership skills, which led to his appointment as vice-captain. "Declan and Harry [Kane] are the two guys with the armband. Harry is our captain — no doubt about it. And Declan is our second captain. He has a high football IQ. He takes care of the formation and structure, the adaptation, and the rhythm of our game. He’s had two outstanding seasons with Arsenal — one of their main players in their Champions League campaign. He’s one of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment, full of confidence. That’s why he is my vice-captain," Tuchel remarked.

Additionally, defender John Stones was mentioned by Tuchel as available for selection, dismissing any injury-related doubts. "He [Stones] feels very, very good. He feels fully competitive. He hasn’t played a lot of minutes - not as many as we would have liked - but he was available all season and that’s a big difference. He wasn’t injured much, he has trust in his body, and most importantly, he did very well for us when he was in the camp. He offers a lot as a player at the highest level and is a defender of the highest quality. He can step into midfield, he’s confident in build-up, and he can switch between different formations fluidly. He knows what it takes to win. That’s the full package. I’m very happy he arrived in a calm state of mind. The best news is that he’s training every session - he’s ready to go."