England's Euro 2024 preparations have been hit with a major concern as striker Ollie Watkins suffered a worrying hamstring injury during training, casting doubt over his participation in this summer's tournament.
The Aston Villa forward, who has enjoyed a sensational season with 19 Premier League goals, pulled up during a training session this week, immediately alerting medical staff to a potential hamstring problem.
Race Against Time for Euros Fitness
With just weeks remaining until England's opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia on June 16th, Watkins now faces an anxious wait to determine the severity of the injury. Initial assessments suggest he could be sidelined for several weeks, putting his tournament dreams in serious jeopardy.
An insider close to the England camp revealed: "There's genuine concern about Ollie's condition. He felt something in his hamstring during a routine drill and had to immediately stop training. The medical team are conducting thorough scans to understand the full extent of the damage."
Tuchel's Bayern Munich Monitoring Situation
Complicating matters further, former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel - now at Bayern Munich - has reportedly identified Watkins as a prime summer transfer target. The German club's interest adds another layer of complexity to the injury situation, with both club and country anxiously awaiting news.
Bayern's scouting department had been closely tracking Watkins' outstanding campaign at Villa Park, where his performances have been instrumental in securing Champions League qualification.
Southgate's Striker Dilemma
The timing couldn't be worse for England manager Gareth Southgate, who already faces uncertainty around captain Harry Kane's back issues. While Kane is expected to recover in time for the tournament, losing Watkins would represent a significant blow to England's attacking depth.
Watkins has established himself as Kane's primary understudy, offering a different tactical option with his pace and movement in behind defences. His potential absence would force Southgate to reconsider his striking options, with Ivan Toney and Dominic Calvert-Lewin waiting in the wings.
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether England's in-form striker can recover in time to board the plane to Germany, or if Southgate must reshuffle his attacking pack ahead of England's pursuit of European glory.
