Saka’s recent workload points to a player still rebuilding full fitness. The report says he experienced Achilles discomfort late in the season, missed England’s March commitments and started only five Arsenal matches after the Carabao Cup final.
He was also substituted during the Champions League final and finished the campaign below his best physical level. Those details make Tuchel’s approach understandable: preserving Saka for the wider international programme is more important than extracting a full performance from him in one friendly.
The update does not present Saka as unavailable. Instead, it describes a player who remains effective but cannot yet complete every training session before playing a full match.
Tuchel is expected to give several returning players between 60 and 70 minutes, with Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze also having had a longer rest after the Champions League final. For Saka, that plan creates a balance between match sharpness and avoiding an unnecessary physical burden.
The report also credits Arsenal with managing the winger carefully before bringing him back during the title race. His immediate impact against Fulham showed the value of a gradual reintegration, but the late-season limitations underline why England is resisting a rushed approach.
Saka remains one of England’s most important attacking players, particularly in major-tournament planning. That makes his fitness more significant than the outcome of a friendly against a weakened Costa Rica side.
The next test will be whether he can build towards a larger role when England face Croatia. If his minutes increase without renewed discomfort, Tuchel’s cautious plan will look justified. If not, England may need to rethink its right-sided attack before the next competitive sequence.