Wayne Rooney will not lead England into the Euros unless he is 100 per cent fit.
The Manchester United captain has suffered a setback in his recovery from the knee injury that has sidelined him for a month.
And United boss Louis van Gaal has revealed that there is still no date for Rooney’s return.
That is worrying news for England boss Roy Hodgson, who has made it clear he will only take players to France who are ready for action.
Hodgson doesn’t want players returning to fitness during the tournament – as Rooney did at the 2006 World Cup – and there will be no special dispensation for his skipper.
Van Gaal said: “Wayne still has weeks to go. He is not even close.
“I cannot say how many weeks, as you never know.
“It is a conservative healing process, not like an operation, so you will have to wait and see.”
United opted against surgery after Rooney suffered the injury against Sunderland on February 13.
Instead, he was fitted with a brace to immobilise his knee.
Hodgson was told not to expect his skipper back for upcoming friendlies against Germany and Holland.
But he was hopeful that Rooney, 30, would return by the beginning of April.
The best-case scenario is that Rooney will not be fully recovered for a month – and it will then him two weeks to build up his match fitness.
Anything longer and his participation at the Euros really will be thrown into doubt.
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