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Lewis targets Tuchel recall after England U21 duty
Rico Lewis has been a regular for England U21s this season, yet he is determined to earn a place in the Thomas Tuchel Squad Following England U21 Heroics.
He will travel with Lee Carsley's England U21 squad for the November international break, starting Friday's 1‑0 friendly loss to Portugal at Ashton Gate in Bristol.
Late senior call‑up and international duties
The Manchester City defender received a late call‑up to Tuchel's senior squad in October, replacing the injured Nico O'Reilly for the UEFA Nations League meeting with Czechia at Wembley.
That appearance came almost two years after his previous senior cap, the fifth of his international career.
Club role, interview and future ambitions
Under Enzo Maresca, Lewis has been a bit‑part player this season, starting the opening‑day win over Bournemouth before being substituted at half‑time against Aston Villa.
He later supplied two midfield assists in October's 5‑1 Champions League victory over AEK Athens.
In a Give Me Sport interview at the U21 Three Lions camp, Lewis said, “I’ve got my experience of being here already and with the seniors.”
He added, “I think in terms of on the pitch and off the pitch, standards and making sure I’m driving them as much as I can with the other players that have been here for a while as well.”
He warned, “What you do off the pitch will most likely leak onto the pitch, good or bad. So if it’s good off the pitch, then there’s no excuse for it not to be good on the pitch as well, and vice versa.”
When asked about re‑joining Tuchel’s senior squad after a difficult 18‑month spell for game time at Manchester City, Lewis replied, “I definitely appreciate all the help that comes with the England structure in general. But for me, it kind of links to what we said about the goal in 12 months’ time, is playing as many games as I can.”
He also said he prefers to play in midfield, believing he can contribute more goals and assists there despite his versatility across several positions at City.
Enzo Maresca confirmed that Lewis can operate in both midfield and defence, assigning his role according to the team’s needs, and praised the defender’s display after his introduction at Villa Park.
Manchester City have often deployed natural midfielder Matheus Nunes at right‑back this season, with Abdukodir Khusanov also featuring there, while a January move for Villarreal right‑back Alex Freeman has been linked with the club.
City's form and upcoming schedule
Lewis admitted after the AEK Athens win that limited minutes this season had frustrated him, but focusing on his own game that night at the Etihad Stadium gave his confidence a significant boost.
Nottingham Forest were reported to have explored a move for Lewis last summer, but he had already signed a five‑year contract extension in September 2025 that runs until 2030.
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The City Football Academy produced its first‑team players during the treble‑winning 2022‑23 campaign under Pep Guardiola, scoring against Sevilla in the Champions League group stage and securing the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Lee Carsley's U21 side will face France at Ashton Gate on Monday after Afonso Moreira’s 28th‑minute strike settled Friday’s meeting with Portugal, with City loanees Max Alleyne, Stephen Mfuni and Divin Mubama also in the squad alongside Lewis.
Manchester City head into the international break after three straight Premier League defeats and sit six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Lewis turns 22 on the day the Blues return to league action against Fulham.
The Blues resume at home to Fulham on Saturday 21 November, then host Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday 24 November and travel to Arsenal on Sunday 29 November.