Rice withdraws from England squad as Arsenal manage his workload

Declan Rice will take no part in England's forthcoming Nations League fixtures after withdrawing from Thomas Tuchel's squad, as Sport Daily Mail reports via Metro Football.

The Arsenal vice-captain had originally been included in the 27-man party announced on Friday for matches against Spain, the Czech Republic home and away, and Croatia.

That call-up came shortly before Rice played a full 90 minutes in Arsenal's first league defeat of the campaign, a loss away to Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Within 48 hours of that result, the Football Association confirmed Rice would sit out the entire international window, alongside Arsenal team-mate not being the case here but joined by Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Cole Palmer and Tino Livramento, all withdrawing from the squad.

Everton's James Garner and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White have been drafted in as replacements for the absent group.

Football.london has reported that Rice's withdrawal is unrelated to any fresh injury and is not considered a serious issue, with the decision instead framed around giving the midfielder extended rest before Arsenal host Leeds in the Premier League on 10 October.

Rice has spent much of the year managing a neural problem affecting his lower back and hamstring, a condition that also restricted his involvement at this summer's World Cup.

Arsenal have a second absentee from the England set-up this week, with 17-year-old defender Marli Salmon ruled out of Under-18 duty through injury.

Salmon had been named in England's squad for three Euro Elite League fixtures against Italy, France and Germany, but has now been replaced by Chelsea's Gabriel Sambou.

Further changes have followed elsewhere in the youth ranks, with Barcelona's Ajay Tavares and West Ham's Reon Smith brought in for Swansea's Jeremy Monga and Crystal Palace's Joel Drakes-Thomas.

Kahlil Steele had initially been called up to cover for Drakes-Thomas but has since withdrawn from Will Antwi's squad as well.

Tuchel's senior side open their Nations League campaign against Spain at Wembley in five days' time, before travelling to Prague to meet the Czech Republic the following Tuesday.

England then face Croatia away in Rijeka on 3 October, ahead of a return to Wembley three days later for the reverse fixture against the Czech Republic.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will assess Rice's condition over the coming fortnight before he returns to domestic action against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium on 10 October.