Morgan Rogers has rubbished questions around team-mate and friend Cole Palmer's commitment to England after the Chelsea star was left out of the latest squad.

After missing out on selection for the World Cup, Palmer was called up to the group for the first international break of the season as he continued to monitor his fitness, but dropped out of the squad.

It meant he was again ignored when it came to selection for this fortnight's Nations League games against Croatia and Spain, with manager Thomas Tuchel saying Palmer 'misses too many opportunities to impress' him.

The events have led to criticism of Palmer, who scored for England in the final of Euro 2024, but Rogers has moved to defend his friend.

'It's a lie,' Rogers, who was speaking after starting and scoring for England in their 2-1 win over Croatia on Thursday, said on BBC 5 Live. 'He wants to be here. 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 thing.

'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. Of course he does, who wouldn't?

'But he also has to look at his body. He wants to play for 10 to 15 years, (so) 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 on his face, how much he loves the game, so I honestly don't get it and he doesn't get it. But it's something he has to deal with but I can assure you he wants to be here and he wants to play for his country.'

Tuchel has accepted that Palmer is 'no exception' to being 'desperate' to wanting to play for England.

But the German claimed he has largely opted to stick with much of the group he ran with in the last international break, despite calling up Jobe Bellingham, James Hill, and Josh King – who plays in Palmer's position – for the first time.

'It's not personal,' the Three Lions boss said on the 24-year-old's omission. 'And of course we will never assume that Cole is not in the mindset to come and desperate to play for his country, but the competition is on and the players who were in camp did an amazing job and kept their place.'

Rogers, though, is desperate to see Palmer back in an England shirt.

'What a player he is,' he added. 'What a person he is and it's someone you want to see in an England shirt. 

'He's got so much quality, so much ability. We all know what we can do, what he's done, so of course we want to see him in an England shirt and hopefully sooner rather than later.'