Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has said he was surprised to see England manager Gareth Southgate call up defender Reece James for next week's fixtures against Andorra and Hungary.
James, 21, limped off injured against Manchester City last weekend and was considered a doubt for the international break. However, Southgate has opted to name the right-back in his squad.
Speaking on Friday, Tuchel admitted he was bemused by the call-up.
"When I saw it, I thought Reece is maybe playing for the England water polo team," Tuchel laughed. "Right now, he is training in the pool. I was surprised."
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel on the touchline during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture date: Wednesday January 27, 2021.Tuchel reiterated that James is nowhere near match fit and is unlikely to join the England setup.
"This will not happen. He is training in the pool right now. My last understanding is that he will not go."
The German quickly pointed out that the decision was not made against his wishes but was a miscommunication between both parties.
"It must be a misunderstanding, nothing else. Imagine if every national coach calls the club coach, and I'm very bad at answering calls anyway, so nobody could reach me. This is normal."
Gareth Southgate has also recalled midfielder Mason Mount. Mount missed the last two games for Chelsea, but Tuchel has stated the 22-year old is now fit.
"Mason is back in the squad. It was a short injury, and we are happy he is back. He is happy to be called up and will give his best."
The Chelsea head coach was also questioned about Mount's impact on the team. Chelsea has lost their last two games, both of which did not feature the injured player.
Tuchel was quick to argue that his team's performance cannot be excused due to the absence of one player.
"We took him out at halftime at Tottenham because he had a bit of a rough time. Everybody spoke so highly of our performance in the second half, and now suddenly he is missing and (we lose).
"It’s not on single players. Of course, we want to have Mason. We know the energy he gives, and we miss him, but we cannot start reducing our performances based on looking at the players who are missing."
Mount is likely to feature in Chelsea's game against Southampton this Saturday afternoon.
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