England Defender Kyle Walker Could Be Fit For World Cup, Says Tottenham Boss Tim Sherwood

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Sherwood would take Walker to Brazil even if he doesn’t play against Aston Villa next weekend.

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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Tim Sherwood thinks that defender Kyle Walker still has a chance of being fit for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

England manager Roy Hodgson is very concerned about the right-back’s fitness.

Walker has not featured for Spurs since suffering a pelvic injury during the 3-1 defeat to Benfica in the Europa League seven weeks ago.

The 23-year-old was not included in Sherwood’s squad for Saturday’s London derby at West Ham United and he may also miss next weekend’s final-day clash with Aston Villa.

However, Sherwood believes that Walker’s cardiovascular fitness is at such a high level that he could go the World Cup without any recent first-team football under his belt.

According to Sky Sports, he told The Sun: “The England physios and doctor will come and assess Kyle and then make a decision on him.

“At the moment there’s been no definite decision from my side whether he’ll play for Tottenham before the end of the season and from Roy whether he’s on that plane to Brazil.

“If he’s clinically fit enough to play I think Kyle’s fit enough to get himself to a level between now and the start of that World Cup.

“He’d have a few games to prepare. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

After Hodgson names his provisional 23-man squad, plus seven standby players, on May 12, England will play three warm-up matches prior to the World Cup.

The Three Lions host Peru at Wembley Stadium on May 30, before travelling to Miami to face Ecuador and Honduras in early June.

Their first ‘meaningful’ match is against Italy in Manaus on June 14, five days before they take on Uruguay in Sao Paulo.

England’s final Group D game is in Belo Horizonte on June 24, when Costa Rica are the opposition.


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