Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden recalled to England squad | OneFootball

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have returned to the England squad as Thomas Tuchel handed a first senior call-up to Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott.

The Euro 2024 runners-up are stepping up preparations for next summer’s World Cup having secured qualification with two matches to spare.

England round off Group K with next Thursday’s Wembley encounter against Serbia and a trip to Albania three days later, with Tuchel selecting a 25-man squad for November’s camp.

Bellingham is back involved after the coach boldly overlooked the midfielder for last month’s meet-up due to a lack of rhythm and a desire to keep faith with those that impressed in September.

It led Tuchel to face questions over their relationship and the personality of a player he apologised to for saying in a June interview that his mother finds some of his on-field antics “repulsive”.

The pair will work together for the first time since then, while Manchester City’s Phil Foden is back involved for the first time since the German coach’s first camp in March.

Bournemouth midfielder Scott was the most eye-catching inclusion. Part of the England’s triumphant Under-21 European Championship side, the 22-year-old has received his maiden call-up.

Nico O’Reilly and Jarell Quansah are the other uncapped players involved, while there are recalls for Adam Wharton and Nick Pope.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Trafford and Ollie Watkins have dropped out.

On Bellingham’s recall, Tuchel said: “(Jude) accepted the decision, and he did what he does best. He competed on the highest level, and he showed that he deserves and has to be in the squad.

“So that’s why he is in the squad. I will not reveal my confidential and private conversation with players here in public, but it’s not a surprise for him to compete for us in the number 10 position.

“I think he knows for me, and I think he sees himself as a number 10.”

On Foden, the German added: “The main thing with Phil is that he gets a role in the central part of the pitch.

“I don’t see him as a winger at the moment, and maybe not any more. He should have a central role. I think that brings out his strengths.”

Scott’s call-up comes as Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is playing through pain.

Tuchel said: “We added Adam (Wharton) to the team, first of all because he deserves it, second of all because we need to learn about him in our environment, what he can bring to our squad and prepare ourselves if Elliot is maybe not able to play both 90 minutes.

“Alex deserves to be with us. I first closely saw him in the in the Euros with the Under-21s, where he did excellent together with Elliot Anderson in central midfield and played a played a huge part in the title win.

“Since then, he stepped really up and is a regular starter for Bournemouth, who are overperforming constantly in the league.

“And I think he came a long way, and he performed his way into this nomination, and he will come as a number eight and hopefully he can prove us right and show us his talent and personality.”