This international window is the last before teams select their final squads for this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which starts in June — making it a final chance for managers to audition players.
That is, for the nations who have qualified — with six teams yet to be determined via the intercontinental and UEFA play-offs for the finals, which are also taking place during this break.
It comes at the height of European domestic campaigns and cup competitions, with the Premier League season finishing on May 24, the Champions League at the quarter-finals stage and the FA Cup quarter-finals taking place this weekend.
Here is a complete list of Premier League players who have pulled out of international duty after receiving call-ups through injury concerns.
Arsenal
Arsenal have had 10 dropouts from international duty, as they continue their Premier League title charge while balancing that with Champions League and FA Cup demands.
Some are more worrying than others — Eberechi Eze’s calf injury is expected to keep him out for at least a month. Noni Madueke, meanwhile was seen leaving England’s friendly against Uruguay at Wembley on Friday with a brace on his left leg.
Bucking the trend, Viktor Gyokeres has remained with Sweden for their World Cup play-offs and scored a hat-trick to help them beat Ukraine 3-1 on Thursday, with the final against Robert Lewandowski’s Poland to come on Tuesday.
- Jurrien Timber (Netherlands): Staying at the club to continue treatment on an unspecified issue, Arsenal said
- Gabriel (Brazil): Right knee injury
- William Saliba (France): Left ankle injury
- Martin Zubimendi (Spain): Discomfort in his right knee
- Eberechi Eze (England): Calf injury suffered against Bayer Leverkusen
- Leandro Trossard (Belgium): Hip injury
- Piero Hincapie (Ecuador): Returned to begin his recovery process after undisclosed medical tests, Ecuador said
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): Medical assessment for unspecified injury, England said
- Declan Rice (Arsenal): Medical assessment for unspecified injury, England said
- Noni Madueke (Arsenal): Knee injury suffered in England’s game against Uruguay
Eberechi Eze is expected to be out for at least a month (Warren Little/Getty Images)
Burnley
Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia): Hamstring injury in Burnley’s 3-1 defeat away to Fulham
Crystal Palace
Adam Wharton (England): Picked up a knock after coming on as a substitute for England against Uruguay, Crystal Palace said
Everton
Iliman Ndiaye joined Senegal in Paris as they celebrated with their contested AFCON trophy — which they have officially been stripped of — before a 2-0 friendly win against Peru at the Stade de France. His club team-mate Idrissa Gueye played all 90 minutes.
- Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal): Foot injury
Iliman Ndiaye has picked up a foot injury (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Fulham
Calvin Bassey (Nigeria): Back injury
Liverpool
Alisson (Brazil): Muscle injury
Manchester City
John Stones (England): Calf injury
Manchester United
Bryan Mbeumo’s or Benjamin Sesko’s injuries are not serious, and neither player’s nation, Cameroon or Slovenia, qualified for this summer’s World Cup.
- Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon): Manchester United’s website called it a “precaution.”
- Benjamin Sesko (Slovenia): “To ensure that he fully recovers from an issue that United have been carefully managing throughout recent weeks,” the Manchester United website said
Bryan Mbeumo was sent home from Cameroon duty as a precaution (Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Sunderland
Nilson Angulo (Ecuador): Muscle tear
Tottenham
Mathys Tel (France Under-21s): Club didn’t specify. A Tottenham website article said Tel “was forced off in the 67th minute during our Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out and will not join up with his national team this month”.
