- Southgate initially said Shaw was a ‘long shot’ to make the final cut for England
- However, he has taken a significant step forward in proving his fitnessÂ
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Luke Shaw has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring injury to provide Gareth Southgate with a key fitness boost ahead of the European Championships.
The Manchester United full back has not played for three months but was still selected in England’s 33 man squad for Euro 2024 last month.
However, there remains doubts over his availability for the tournament, given his injury problem and his long-term inactivity.
But Shaw has now taken a significant step forward in proving his fitness ahead of Southgate naming his final 26 man party for the tournament on Saturday.
Shaw has returned to training on the grass and while he isn’t yet capable of completing full training sessions with the team, his inclusion, in parts, with his teammates’ schedule provides an indicator that he is progressing well.
It seems likely that even if Shaw is deemed fit enough to make the final cut that his participation in England’s group matches will be minimal.
But if Shaw is deemed fit to play a lead role in the knockout stages, then his presence would come as a huge boost for England given his position as the country’s first