Tuchel open to calling up Man City players for England if club are relegated

Thomas Tuchel is not ruling out calling up Manchester City players for England even if the club end up being relegated. The German coach addressed the issue after an independent commission found City guilty of almost all 115 charges for breaking Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

• Man City were found guilty of nearly all Premier League financial breach charges.
• The club have appealed the verdict and maintain their innocence.
• A severe punishment could mean a huge points deduction or expulsion from the top flight.
• Tuchel insists playing in a lower division does not rule players out of England contention.
• Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly and Elliot Anderson are in the current England squad.

What Tuchel said about picking Man City players for England

The England manager made it clear that competing outside the Premier League does not automatically rule a player out of his plans. Speaking before the Nations League match against Croatia, he said he will always try to select the best team for each camp, occasion and tournament, and will assess every situation individually.

There is always a possibility. I would always try to pick the best team for the camp, occasion, the tournament. I will never rule out that because they don't play in the top flight in their country. We need to look at it case by case.

His comments come amid an extreme scenario: City, the current Premier League leaders, could end up outside English football's elite because of the financial case. Tuchel has left the door open for their players to keep representing the Three Lions.

Why Man City face a huge Premier League punishment

The independent commission found that the club arranged sham contracts to bypass competition financial controls over nine seasons. According to the ruling, City inflated revenue and concealed costs by more than £900m during that period.

The punishment could be historic. Because the breaches were sustained for almost a decade, the Premier League could impose a massive points deduction or expel the club from the division. Everton and Nottingham Forest have already received similar sanctions in recent seasons, though on a smaller scale.

Man City's appeal and the timeline of the case

Manchester City keep defending their innocence and have appealed the decision. The club claim they hold an irrefutable body of evidence to challenge the verdict. The length of the appeal process is currently unknown.

However, the ruling on their sanction could arrive before the appeal is completed. That possibility has already happened with other English clubs, who learned their sporting punishment before exhausting the legal route.

The City players in Tuchel's current England squad

Three players linked to Manchester City are in the current England list: Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly and Elliot Anderson. O'Reilly withdrew through injury after being called up to the senior side.

Phil Foden was left out again. The attacking midfielder also missed the World Cup, and his absence shows Tuchel is not guaranteeing him a regular place in the group.

How the England camp has reacted to the City scandal

The case has dominated much of the conversation inside the England camp. Players admit the topic is present in group discussions, especially during breaks between matches. They agree everyone is talking about it.

City players have also taken part in those exchanges, although only briefly. From inside the group, the message is that all of them are focused on the next international fixture and ready to compete.

It is a big subject. Everyone speaks about it, so there is no other voice needed. I am glad to be not that voice. No one needs my half knowledge on the topic. Of course, the players talk about it. City players talk about it. We talk with them but only briefly. They are ready to go tomorrow. But of course, it's a big topic in the camp.