England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, has suggested that Bukayo Saka will not be rushed into a starting role for Tuesday’s World Cup group clash against Ghana.
Saka is currently managing an Achilles problem that troubled him during the latter stages of Arsenal’s 2025–26 season.
The issue forced him to miss five matches in April, and although he returned for the Premier League run-in and the closing phase of the Champions League, he has continued to be carefully managed.
The Arsenal winger was included in England’s World Cup squad but was not fit enough to start their opening group game against Croatia. He instead came off the bench in the 72nd minute, with England leading 3-2 in Arlington, Texas.
Despite limited minutes, Saka made a strong impact, setting up Marcus Rashford for England’s fourth goal, alongside earlier scorers Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
However, Tuchel has hinted that the 24-year-old is unlikely to be in the starting XI against Ghana, suggesting the final group match against Panama may be a more realistic target for his full return.
“Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready,” Tuchel told the media following Wednesday’s victory.
“Once we get to the last game in the group it is the moment. He was strong yesterday [Tuesday] in training in small spaces. It’s just a matter of if the game is open and up and down.”
Saka remains England’s preferred option on the right wing, but the coaching staff appear determined not to take unnecessary risks with his fitness, especially after their strong win over Croatia put them in a favourable position to reach the knockout stages.
With qualification within reach, England can afford to continue easing Saka back into full match sharpness, with a possible start against Panama seen as a more appropriate step ahead of the knockout phase.
In the meantime, Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke is expected to keep his place on the right flank after starting against Croatia, where he impressed by winning the penalty converted by Harry Kane in the opening stages.
