Euro 2024: Time running out for Yorkshire-born defender but Harry Kane ready to make England return

Harry Maguire faces a fight to be fit for the start of the European Championship, but England captain Harry Kane looks to have won his fitness battle.

The Sheffield-born Manchester United defender has been named in Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad despite not having played since April 27 because of a muscle injury.

The day before the first of England's two pre-tournament warm-up games, against Bosnia Herzegovina at St James' Park in Newcastle, Maguire was restricted to individual training work away from the main group.

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Left-back Luke Shaw and forward Anthony Gordon were also doing individual work at Middlesbrough's Rockliffe training camp, where England have been since Tuesday.

FIT: England captain Harry Kane trains at Middlesbrough FC's Rockliffe ParkFIT: England captain Harry Kane trains at Middlesbrough FC's Rockliffe Park
FIT: England captain Harry Kane trains at Middlesbrough FC's Rockliffe Park

But Kane was leading the group having not played for Bayern Munich since he was substituted in the European Cup semi-final defeat to Real Madrid with a back injury.

Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester City's Phil Foden and Kyle Walker, and Madrid's Jude Bellingham will meet up with the squad ahead of Friday's game against Iceland at Wembley on Friday. All have been given extra time off after playing in end-of-season cup finals.

England have to tell UEFA which players will drop out of their provisional squad by midnight on Friday.

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Their first group game of the tournament is against Serbia on June 16.

Maguire has been in this boat before. He missed the last five games of Manchester United's season in 2020-21, and the first two group games of the European Championship but returned to be a key figure in the run to the final, which Shaw scored in.

The last of Shaw's 15 appearances this season was in mid-February and it seems unlikely the Manchester United defender will make the cut but he is the only specialist left-back in the 33.

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