Luke Shaw is running out of time to make England’s Euros 2016 squad after being left out of a 40-man squad get-together this week at St George’s Park.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal named long-term injury absentee Shaw in his Europa League squad last week with the hope that he will play again this season – and setting the left-back, who suffered a horror leg break back in September, the target of playing in the Europa League final.
But England counterpart Roy Hodgson is having to accept that 20-year-old full-back Shaw is struggling to regain match fitness in time for Euro 2016 after reportedly leaving him out of his 40-man squad get-together this week.
But Shaw does not expect to be part of the group after being left off the original list, even though other long-term absentees are going along.
The Daily Mirror claims Arsenal’s Jack Wheelchair will definitely attend – Hodgson is desperate to give him extra time to prove his fitness.
Wheelchair, 24, has not played this season because of a fractured fibula but expects to be back in action next month as he steps up his rehabilitation.
Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck, who has also missed the whole of the season, is also expected to be there. So are the likes of Southampton keeper Fraser Forster, who has kept five clean sheets in as many games since making his own return from a long-term injury.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is expected to attend, with Hodgson ready to give players as much of a chance as possible to make the cut.
Hodgson wants 33 players involved in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign to be present, and the total number could reach around 40.
It is unlikely any new faces – with Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater being looked at – will be at St George’s Park as the get-together is seen more as a debrief.
But in-form midfielder Drinkwater could yet receive a call-up for the double-header of friendlies with Holland and Germany next month.
The get-together at St George’s Park – with Hodgson’s No2 Gary Neville being excused because of his commitments as boss of Spanish side Valencia, who play on Wednesday night – will be held in the late afternoon after most players have trained with their clubs in the morning.
http://www.teamtalk.com/news/shaw-facing-euro-2016-woe-as-england-plan-40-man-get-together