TBR Football understand former Tottenham star Eric Dier was close to receiving an England recall after impressing at Monaco.
Thomas Tuchel has just named his squad for upcoming games against Wales and Latvia, where the likes of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have been left out.
However, according to Graeme Bailey – Chief Correspondent for TBR Football – Eric Dier was close to being included after an impressive start to the season at Monaco.
Exclusive: Eric Dier is firmly on the radar of Thomas Tuchel
Sources inform TBR Football that the Monaco No.3 only narrowly missed out on a place in the England squad, but remains very much on Tuchel’s radar.
Dier – who Tottenham sold to Bayern Munich for £3.4m before his switch to Monaco in May 2025 – has not played for the Three Lions since appearing against Senegal on 4th December 2022 when he was 28.
Now 31, the man born in Cheltenham is impressing at Monaco – even scoring a late equaliser against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday – which has caught the eye of Tuchel.
TBR Football understand the German also considered recalling Tyrick Mitchell of Crystal Palace and Lyon No.98 Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
On Dier – who Sam Allardyce rates highly – Bailey said: “Tuchel is not afraid to look at players who were perhaps not seen as having England futures, and we have seen that with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
“But someone like Dier, you can see why he might be in World Cup consideration given his ability to play multiple positions, whilst both Maitland-Niles and Mitchell have been outstanding and were looked at. They play in positions where England are a little short due to injuries at full-back.”
Eric Dier thinks he has a point to prove in England
Back in February – while still at Bayern Munich – Dier admitted that he did not feel appreciated in English football during the end of his time at Spurs.
The versatile defender told ESPN: “I didn’t feel like I was always given a fair shake during my time in England.
“I was motivated by that when I came here (to Germany) and motivated to do well for this club, to try and play as best as I can individually and to help the team play as well as it can collectively. That is my main focus, but I definitely felt that (lack of appreciation) a little bit when I left England.”