Thomas Tuchel has conceded he is not certain Jude Bellingham will be ready to join England for their upcoming Wembley friendlies, describing the Real Madrid midfielder’s recovery from a hamstring injury as a race against time.

Bellingham limped off in tears just 10 minutes into Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano, clutching his hamstring as he left the pitch. Initial assessments suggested a layoff of around a month, but the outlook has since grown more cautious inside the Spanish club.

Speaking at the UEFA Nations League draw, Tuchel revealed that Real Madrid’s medical staff are taking a conservative view of the 21-year-old’s recovery, even as the player himself pushes to return.

The club is a bit more defensive on the outlook regarding the weeks of his recovery, Tuchel explained. Jude is pushing, and as we know him, he is determined and super professional. He will try everything to be with us in March. Of course we are in contact, and we wish him all the best. Whatever we can do for him, we will help and support him. It is a little race against time.

England are due to face Uruguay and Japan at Wembley as part of their build-up to the FIFA World Cup, fixtures that Gareth Southgate had earmarked as key tests for his core players. Bellingham, a central figure in England’s midfield plans, is now a major doubt for those games.

Personally, I am optimistic about Bellingham’s fitness, Tuchel added. But I am not sure.

Bellingham’s importance to both club and country has grown rapidly. Despite an earlier spell out following shoulder surgery, he has still featured in the majority of Real Madrid’s league fixtures this season, delivering goals, creativity and relentless energy from midfield.

For England, his last appearances came in November, when he featured off the bench against Serbia and started against Albania. Competition for his place has intensified, with options such as Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers emerging, but Bellingham remains central to Tuchel’s tactical plans.

Real Madrid have turned to Brahim Diaz and others to cover his absence, yet there is no like-for-like replacement for Bellingham’s blend of physicality, technique and leadership. As England’s World Cup preparations gather pace, his fitness has become one of the most closely watched storylines in European football.