Jol believes injured King will be ready for World Cup

Tottenham Hotspur yesterday confirmed that Ledley King will miss the rest of the season after fracturing a bone in his foot. However, Spurs' manager, Martin Jol, said he expected the defender to be fit in time for the World Cup.

"It's a minor one," Jol said of the stress fracture in his captain's left foot, sustained after a challenge with Duncan Ferguson in Saturday's victory at Everton. "He won't play for the next three weeks. Hopefully he can be fit between now and the first week in May." Jol dismissed reports that the metatarsal injury will rule King out for 10 to 12 weeks. "You have to assess it every week but I think he has a good chance," Jol said when asked if King would be fit before Sven Goran Eriksson names the England squad on 8 May.

It had initially been feared King's injury was worse. "I was shocked this morning to read that he had broken his ankle," Jol said. "I thought maybe he had been in a car accident or something." His optimism, however, may be misplaced. Such injuries can be tricky - as Michael Owen is finding out.

With doubts over Ashley Cole - close to fitness after an ankle injury - and Sol Campbell - still to recover from a variety of problems - Eriksson will not want another player who is not fully fit. He has until 15 May to submit his final squad.