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Thomas Tuchel adds Bournemouth's James Hill to England squad

·By Paul Vegas
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Thomas Tuchel adds Bournemouth's James Hill to England squad

theFA/X.com

Thomas Tuchel has added Bournemouth defender James Hill to his England squad ahead of the Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain, with Ezri Konsa unavailable for Thursday’s meeting at Wembley.

Hill, 24, has received an opportunity to impress the England head coach after being brought into the group during the international break. His inclusion provides another defensive option as the Three Lions prepare for two important fixtures against European opposition.

Konsa will miss the match against Croatia while recovering from a knock sustained during Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Slavia Prague. However, the defender is expected to return to full training later in the week, leaving open the possibility of being available for the trip to Spain on Sunday.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played down concerns about the injury when discussing the defender’s condition.

“He’s fine – he was feeling much better today. We took him out on Wednesday for a precaution, but yesterday and today he’s been feeling good,” Arteta said.

The England squad has already been affected by defensive withdrawals, with Marc Guehi also pulling out through injury. Dan Burn was called up as his replacement, while Hill’s addition gives Tuchel further depth as he assesses his options ahead of the two fixtures.

Hill’s selection represents an important milestone for the Bournemouth defender, who has worked his way into regular first-team football after a period of development through loan spells.

He joined Bournemouth from Fleetwood Town in 2022 and subsequently spent time on loan at Hearts and Blackburn Rovers. His spell in Scotland provided valuable senior experience before he returned to Bournemouth and began establishing himself in the first team.

Hill has since become an important member of the squad, making 31 appearances last season and continuing to feature regularly under manager Marco Rose. His performances have now earned him recognition from Tuchel, who has been looking to strengthen his defensive options.

Arteta also expressed satisfaction at the number of English players representing Arsenal in the national squad. Ben White, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice are among the other Gunners selected for the November internationals.

“It’s a proud thing to have a big English core in the national team from our club. It’s something that is part of our identity.

“Not only the number, but as well the players that represent us and the national team. They are super happy to be back, you can see that,” the Arsenal manager said.

England face Croatia at Wembley on Thursday before travelling to Madrid to meet Spain on Sunday. Tuchel will hope Hill can make a positive impression during the camp, while Konsa’s recovery will be monitored ahead of the second fixture.