Ferdinand set to get the chop from England

Rio Ferdinand is set to be omitted from the England Euro 2012 squad that is named on Wednesday lunchtime.

Manager Roy Hodgson is believed to have called the Manchester United defender on Tuesday to inform him of his decision not to select him for the summer tournament.

Hodgson is also understood to have visited England’s Chelsea contingent at the club’s Cobham training ground on Tuesday to speak to them privately.

It is not certain that John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill will all make the final cut but there is a growing expectation that, given Hodgson took the trouble to meet them in person, they will do so.

Phil Jagielka is believed to have paid the price for a mixed season, with Hodgson expected to go with Cahill, Terry, Joleon Lescott and Phil Jones as his four centre-halves.

PFA Young Player of the Year Kyle Walker is expected to miss out, however, after failing to recover from a broken toe.

Scott Parker had an injection on his troublesome Achilles on Monday but, unlike Walker, he is expected to be named in Hodgson’s squad, although there is a strong possibility that the Tottenham midfielder, who captained England in their last match against the Netherlands, might have to pull out of the squad.

The expectation that Terry will be selected at the expense of Ferdinand is not a total shock given that the United man was not a regular in the last year of Fabio Capello’s tenure and even Sir Alex Ferguson believes the 33-year-old’s fitness is a concern.

Speaking on Sunday, Ferguson said: “You play something like a game every four days (at the tournament). Rio Ferdinand couldn’t do that.”

However, it will still be regarded as a controversial call if Terry has been chosen ahead of Ferdinand by Hodgson, given the controversy that surrounds the Chelsea man.

Terry lost the England captaincy following allegations that he racially abused Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s brother, during a Premier League match against QPR last October.

Terry will stand trial for alleged racist abuse on July 9, nine days after Euro 2012.