Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has weighed in on the debate surrounding England's right-back situation, suggesting that Jarell Quansah, formerly of Liverpool, currently holds a slight edge over Trent Alexander-Arnold in the national team pecking order. Tuchel's assessment comes despite Alexander-Arnold's high profile and established Premier League career.

Alexander-Arnold, who recently transferred from Liverpool to Real Madrid this past summer, has faced challenges in securing regular playing time for both club and country. The 27-year-old has only played 169 minutes for Real Madrid this season, with nine of those minutes being off the bench against Liverpool. Injury kept him out of selection for England during October's international break, and despite being fit for the current break, he was not selected.

Quansah, on the other hand, also left Anfield this summer. England recently concluded their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a perfect record, winning all eight of their Group K matches without conceding a single goal.

While Alexander-Arnold's talent has never been in question, his recent form and lack of consistent game time appear to have impacted his standing within the England setup. Some have suggested that a change of position could unlock his potential for the national team, with former England boss Sam Allardyce advocating for Alexander-Arnold to be deployed at left-back. Allardyce argued that his experience and familiarity with playing on the right side could translate well to the opposite flank.

"People might not like Trent in that position, but a right-footed winger plays on the left all the time and vice versa, and nobody moans about that, and he's experienced.".

However, Tuchel's recent comments indicate that Quansah is currently viewed as a more reliable option for the right-back role. It remains to be seen how Alexander-Arnold will respond to this challenge and whether he can regain his place in the England squad.