England team doctor Leif Sward believes Wayne Rooney will know before the World Cup starts just how significant a part he can play.
Sward is now confident Rooney will be selected by Sven-Goran Eriksson in England's 23-man party for Germany, despite the lingering fears his broken foot will force him to miss the finals.
Sward: "In four weeks we will know exactly how this injury will heal. I told Sven there is a chance for Wayne to be a part of the World Cup. How big that is I cannot say, but there is absolutely a chance.
"Of course Sven will now make him part of the squad."
Sir Alex Ferguson: "If he goes, he needs to be fit because otherwise he may not do himself justice, which would be an even bigger disappointment for England fans. You can't put a deadline on it because the scans will tell us everything.
"In a few weeks' time we will send him back for a scan. If the injury has healed we have got the progress we want. If it has not healed there is nothing you can do about it. We just have to carry on with the treatment because we are really in the hands of how Wayne improves and we are not going to do anything that will jeopardise the boy."