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MARCUS Rashford is almost certain to miss the Euros — leaving England with a striker crisis.
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the ace faces “a few months” out with a stress fracture in his back that is “more severe” than first feared.
It gives Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate a major headache — with Harry Kane also facing a race to be fit for England’s first game against Croatia on June 14.
Solskjaer, whose side face Club Brugge in the Europa League tonight, said: “Marcus is going to be out for another few months, definitely.
“He had a scan and the fracture was maybe more severe than what we hoped for and expected.
“I would hope he is playing this season, it will be touch and go towards the end.
“And I would hope he plays before the Euros — but if he’s not fit enough he won’t go.
“It takes time, I’m not a doctor, I was hoping he would recover quicker than it actually looks.”
Rashford, 22 — has been wearing a custom-made girdle to aid his back and help him stay mobile.
He came off injured against Norwich in the league win on January 11 with the problem, which he aggravated four days later after coming on as a substitute in an FA Cup win over Wolves.
The double fracture was initially expected to keep him out for six weeks.
And Solskjaer admitted his decision to bring on Rashford against Wolves backfired — but insisted the hitman believed he was fit to play.
Solskjaer added: “He felt fine the few days before that and I’ve never had anatomy in school, so I didn’t know it takes that time to recover.”
SunSport understands Leicester star Jamie Vardy will not come out of his international retirement.
That leaves Tammy Abraham, Callum Wilson and Danny Ings likely to fight it out this summer.
Online Reporter