England's captain, Harry Kane, is facing a significant doubt regarding his participation in the upcoming friendly match against Wales. The Bayern Munich striker is reportedly struggling with an ankle injury.
Kane sustained the knock while playing for Bayern Munich in their 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. He hobbled off the pitch with five minutes remaining in the game. Despite the injury scare, Kane initially downplayed any serious concerns, stating that he took a knock and expected to be fine after a few days. He also affirmed his intention to join up with the England squad as scheduled.
However, recent reports suggest the injury might be more troublesome than initially perceived. Kane was unable to participate in team training on Wednesday and instead followed an individual routine indoors alongside Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah. This development casts considerable doubt on his availability for the Wales game.
Sky Sports reports that Kane has a slight ankle concern after playing for Bayern Munich. They add that it is nothing serious and he has a history of ankle injuries.
If Kane is unavailable, England manager Thomas Tuchel will have to consider alternative options for the captain's armband and the centre-forward position. Potential replacements include Ollie Watkins, Marcus Rashford, or Jarrod Bowen. Anthony Gordon has also featured up front for Newcastle and could be an option. There is the possibility that Declan Rice could be chosen as captain.
Kane's absence would be a blow for England, as he is the team's all-time record goalscorer with 74 goals in 109 appearances. He has also been in excellent form for Bayern Munich, scoring 18 goals in just 10 matches this season. Since joining Bayern Munich in 2023, he has scored 103 goals in 106 appearances for the team.
England will face Latvia in a World Cup qualifier on October 14. They will qualify for next year's World Cup if they win and Serbia drop points against Albania on Saturday. Given the importance of the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia, Tuchel may choose to rest Kane against Wales to ensure his fitness for the more crucial match.
