England manager Gareth Southgate has insisted Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw is a major doubt to reach the European Championships next month despite being picked in his 33-man preliminary squad.
Shaw is one of United’s senior players, but his campaign has been plagued with injuries. His most recent muscular issue has kept him on the sidelines since February, when he was brought off at half-time against Luton Town in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old has not played for United since that day, but there was hope he could be back to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Erik ten Hag recently attempted to play down the chances of the Englishman featuring at Wembley Stadium, saying: “Luke is more complicated in this moment; let’s say it’s less of a chance he will make it, but still a very small chance. He had a setback, now we have to find out how far it is.”
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Some supporters may have been given hope that Shaw could be back in time for the big match this weekend when he was named in Southgate’s Euro 2024 training squad but the England boss has warned he remains an outside bet to be going to Germany next month.
“I have to say, he’s up against it,” Southgate told reporters. “He has missed a lot of football.
“The fact that he has been our first choice in that position, we are probably giving him a bit more (time) than we might have done. But I am not sure what’s realistic at this moment at time.”