England manager Roy Hodgson was playing his cards close to his chest ahead of naming his squad to face Slovenia next week.

Hodgson, who will select his pool for the European Qualifier on Thursday, could have Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge and Arsenal winger Theo Walcott available.

But amid the usual speculation ahead of an England international, the 67-year-old insists nothing will be revealed until the press conference 48 hours down the line.

“If there are going to be surprises, we’ll have to wait and see. I couldn’t possibly give away any information now,” Hodgson said.

Sturridge has travelled to Spain with the Liverpool squad ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid following his recent thigh injury.

Hodgson is likely to speak to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers on Wednesday, but he confirmed he has not been in touch about the player as yet.

“No. Not at the moment but I have it in mind to do so of course. I was actually rather waiting to see what the situation would be with him,” Hodgson said.

“It’s very good news he has travelled, but of course before I was to select him again I would check both with the player and with the club to make certain we were doing the right thing."

Hodgson welcomed the comments of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said he would be delighted to see Walcott included in the England squad.

Walcott is available for actions again, but till short of match-fitness, after suffering a knee injury nine months ago.

Hodgson said: “I was very pleased with that. I must say that Arsene has never been a problem in that regard at all, in fact neither have any other managers for that matter, so I am very fortunate that normally when players are fit and able to come with the national team the managers have been very good at allowing or accepting that they are going to come without any complaint.

“But it’s nice of course when a manager like Arsene goes out, when he has a player that’s been away for a long, long time and says ’if we want to select him we can' but, again, that’s something that if you want to know whether it will happen, you’ll have to wait until Thursday.

“All players who are English and have any ability are in my thoughts because the number of English players we have to choose from dwindles by the day.

“So it’s very rare that there will be an English player who has got the ability and who is still ready to play for England, who has not retired or who is obviously not in his best form, anyone else is always in our thoughts.

“That will include players coming back from injury who have been regular members of the squad in the past.”
(Sky Sports)