Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope to undergo minor knee surgery next week; England are due to start Euros campaign against Croatia on June 13; Pope played in all three World Cup Qualifiers in March
Sunday 23 May 2021 18:54, UK
Nick Pope's place in England's Euro 2020 squad could be in doubt after Sean Dyche confirmed the Burnley goalkeeper will have knee surgery next week.
Dyche revealed Pope will have 'minor knee surgery' next week, with England's first game of the tournament taking place on June 13, against Croatia.
Pope played in all three of England's World Cup qualifying matches in March as Gareth Southgate's men recorded wins over San Marino, Albania and Poland.
He had been due to play in Burnley's final game of the season, against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, but news of his planned surgery was confirmed by Dyche prior to the game, with Will Norris taking his place in the starting line-up.
"Unfortunately, Nick is going to need a minor operation on his knee this week," Burnley manager Sean Dyche confirmed to BT Sport.
"That's not ideal for him or us and possibly for the England team. We'll wait and see. It's nothing too serious, we don't think, but it still needed doing.
"He was trying to get right for this game to give it a test but didn't quite come through in training, so he and we have had to make a judgement call on that.
"It's mainly down to him and he knows what he's got to do. He'll have that (the operation) done this week and hopefully it will settle down for a quick recovery."
Speaking after Burnley's 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United, Dyche said Pope was scheduled to have the procedure on Tuesday and only afterwards would a prognosis be clearer.
"He needs it; it's a minor cartilage situation," Dyche explained. "He felt a click in his knee.
"It's quite a simple decision but a tough decision because we don't know how long it will take [his recovery]."
Pushed on whether Pope would likely be fit for the Euros, Dyche said: "I don't know, we'll have to see."
