Barnes has long been a dangerous wide forward when he is fit, direct and confident. He does not always dominate headlines in the way some England attackers do, but he has a habit of producing decisive moments around the box.
The report says he has ended the campaign with goals, assists and a growing sense of momentum. If Tuchel is weighing form against established international pedigree, Barnes appears to have forced his way into that conversation at the perfect time.
This is what makes the call so difficult. Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon are all strong options on the left, while others can shift across from central or right-sided roles. Barnes may still be fighting against players with a longer England track record, and that matters when a major tournament squad is being shaped.
Still, there is value in specialists. Barnes stretches play, attacks full-backs and arrives in scoring areas quickly. In tournament football, that profile can be extremely useful off the bench as well as from the start.
Barnes also addressed his international future directly after interest from Scotland. “We had a chat in private,” Barnes said of his conversation with Steve Clarke. “It wasn't a big sort of thing, it was a quick chat and this was the decision I came out with.”
That decision now puts the spotlight squarely on Tuchel. If Barnes is left out, it will be because the competition is fierce rather than because his case was weak. And if he is included, it will feel like a reward for timing, form and persistence - with the next England camp set to show whether this late push was enough.