Despite including him in his preliminary squad, Gareth Southgate says it is a long shot that Luke Shaw will be fit for Euro 2024.
Shaw has been sidelined since February with a muscle injury but is the only recognised left-back in Southgate’s 33-man squad as Ben Chilwell also misses out due to injury.
Joe Gomez is an option for the position after filling in for Liverpool at times this season, while Kieran Trippier has also played at left-back for England in the past.
However, Shaw has been the first-choice left-back for the last two major tournaments, and Southgate admits that he will give him every chance to be fit.
[Luke Shaw s] up against it, said Southgate. He s missed a lot of football.
The fact that he has been our first choice in that position, we ve probably given him a lot longer than we would have done.
I’ve talked with him and the medical team, we’ve been liaising with Manchester United, I m not sure what s realistic at this time. I have to say, he s a long shot.
Confirming the pre- training squad!
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Southgate may have other injury problems on his hands. Harry Kane missed the end of Bayern Munich’s season due to a back injury, while Harry Maguire has not played since April.
The job here is to adapt to the hand of cards you re dealt with, Southgate added.
The injuries are a very complex thing. Sometimes players have had to play more than they might have done. Some players have come back earlier than they might have done.
There s definitely been a lot of matches in the calendar. But it s too easy to say it s just the [fault of a] winter World Cup. It s lots of different reasons.
Southgate will cut his squad down to 26 players after England face Iceland in their final pre-tournament friendly at Wembley Stadium on June 7.
