Wayne Rooney will undergo a scan in eight days' time which will go some way to determining his fitness and subsequent availability for England at the World Cup.

The 20-year-old Manchester United striker is unlikely to be available for the group games against Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden after breaking a metatarsal against Chelsea last month.

He continues to be treated in Manchester but has not joined up with his international colleagues at their Portugal training camp this week.

Rooney may not be with England at all this summer if the scan next Thursday shows worse than expected results.

Manchester United have been cautiously pleased with Rooney's progress, but they insist he will not be released for England duty until he can be passed fully fit.

And England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson said today: "After May 25th we will know much better what is going to happen with Wayne Rooney.

"I hope we play Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen up front but Steven Gerrard is an option there.

"We have to wait until after May 25 to see how the scan is," said Eriksson. "We will be much more clever after the 25th but. . . .our chances don't stand or fall with Wayne Rooney."

If Rooney is ruled out, Eriksson would have a choice of replacements after placing both Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe and Crystal Palace's Andrew Johnson on standby for the tournament.

But, of his original squad, he would be left with only Liverpool's Peter Crouch and Arsenal's untried 17-year-old Theo Walcott as support to Newcastle frontman Owen.

That has prompted him to consider Gerrard as a support striker for the finals in Germany.

The Liverpool captain scored two stunning goals against West Ham in Saturday's FA Cup final and was prolific for his club all season.

"I've known for many years Steven Gerrard can play a lot of positions and one is second striker," said Eriksson.  "I'm sure he could also play as a first striker, and he's also excellent at right-back." PA