Morgan Rogers insists claims Cole Palmer doesn't want to play for England are 'a lie'
Morgan Rogers has said it is "a lie" that his Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer is not committed to playing for England.
Palmer was left out of Thomas Tuchel's squad for the Nations League double header against Croatia and Spain. England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley on Thursday, with Rogers opening the scoring, and travel to Spain on Sunday.
The Chelsea playmaker withdrew from the September squad through injury, prompting Tuchel to say he "misses way too many camps". When it was put to the England head coach that Palmer was not desperate to be involved, he replied: "It is hard to argue against what you're saying."
Palmer has played only three times under Tuchel and missed out on the 2026 World Cup squad last summer. He was overlooked for November's break despite good club form this season. He has five goals and three assists in 12 games for Chelsea.
Rogers, who grew up alongside Palmer in the Manchester City academy before reuniting with the 24-year-old in West London this summer, rejected the accusation.
"It's a lie. He wants to be here," Rogers said to BBC Radio 5 Live. "He wanted to get called up and he wanted to come and represent his country as he always has done. People just see it as news and say the easy things."
"We all know he had a difficult year last year with injuries and I know personally he's been managing them injuries ever since. He was in quite a low place with his injuries last year and didn't feel 100 per cent himself on the pitch, so he wants to be here and he wants to be the best version of himself."
"But he also has to look at his body. He wants to play for 10, 15 years, he also has to manage himself. If he has to manage himself in the short term for the greater good then he has to do that and you have to fully support it.
"It has nothing to do with England or not wanting to play with England. It's a nonsense really that people are questioning someone that wants to play for England."
"You see the joy and smile he plays with, how much he loves the game, so I honestly don't get it and he doesn't get it. It's something he has to deal with but I can assure you he wants to be here."
