England head coach Thomas Tuchel has suggested Bukayo Saka is unlikely to be handed a starting role against Ghana on Tuesday in the World Cup group stage.
The Arsenal winger came off the bench during England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, immediately contributing an assist for Marcus Rashford’s fourth goal of the game.
Rashford slotted home the finish after Saka’s introduction from the bench, underlining the 24-year-old’s ability to influence matches even from a limited starting position.
Tuchel had flagged before the tournament that Saka would need careful management through the opening stages of the competition due to an Achilles tendinitis issue.
The England boss now appears to be pointing toward the final group game against Panama in New Jersey on 27 June as the most likely starting point for Saka’s full involvement.
Tuchel said: “Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready. I think once we go to the last game of this group he will be ready.”
Saka himself struck a defiant tone on Monday, insisting he was prepared to “gamble” on his fitness in order to contribute to England’s World Cup campaign.
The Achilles issue is understood to have been present for some time, though it has not deteriorated since the end of the domestic season, providing some reassurance to both club and country.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is well known for keeping injury information closely guarded, and Saka was able to start regularly during the club’s triumphant title run-in despite the underlying concern.
Tuchel’s candid admission has now brought the winger’s fitness into far sharper public focus than Arsenal would typically allow, lifting the lid on a situation the club prefers to manage privately.
The German coach appears to be protecting one of his most important attacking assets for the knockout rounds, though the door remains open for Saka to start against Ghana if circumstances demand it.
With England already through the group stage opener in convincing fashion, Tuchel has the luxury of managing Saka’s workload carefully before the competition truly intensifies.
