Theo Walcott has pulled out of the England squad for Wednesday night's friendly with Italy in Berne.
Winger out of England squad for Italy friendly with bruised thigh
Theo Walcott has pulled out of the England squad for Wednesday night's friendly with Italy in Berne.
The Arsenal winger is suffering from a bruised thigh and has been withdrawn as a precautionary measure.
Walcott was used as an impact substitute during this summer's European Championship, coming off the bench to score against Sweden in the group stages.
The 23-year-old may have been in line for a start given the absence of several senior figures in Roy Hodgson's experimental squad ahead of next month's World Cup qualifier in Moldova.
But Walcott will now rejoin his club team-mates with a view to getting fit in time for the Premier League opener against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.