However, with the England party setting up a training base in Manchester ahead of their Euro 2004 double-header with Macedonia and Liechtenstein, Ferdinand has apparently been given permission to report for international duty.

The 24-year-old’s United team-mate Nicky Butt should also be there even though he made only a brief substitute appearance at St Mary’s Stadium yesterday as the midfielder returned from the ankle injury he sustained in England’s friendly win over Croatia last month.

However, Paul Scholes has already been ruled out with a hernia problem and Eriksson knows he will also lose one of his most influential players for the crunch clash with Turkey in Istanbul next month if, as expected, Ferguson decides to send the player for surgery at the end of this week.

“There have been conversations between the Manchester United medical staff and those of the Football Association in recent days, as well as between Sven and Sir Alex Ferguson,” confirmed an FA spokesman.

“Although they were primarily about Paul Scholes, the fitness of Rio Ferdinand and Nicky Butt will also have been mentioned.”

Meanwhile, United have yet to decide whether Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson will require surgery on the shoulder he dislocated in the first half of yesterday’s defeat.

The £6m (€8.6m) summer arrival from South America had to be helped off midway through the second half of only his second United start and is now facing at least a month on the sidelines.

In addition, Ferguson also has a looming problem with Diego Forlan, who is required by Uruguay for two World Cup qualifiers over the next 10 days, which is likely to mean he will only return to England a day before United’s next league game at Charlton on September 13.

The long-term picture is looking no better for United either, with injury-plagued central defender Wes Brown scotching rumours that he could be back in action faster than expected following his second cruciate knee ligament operation.

There had been speculation that Brown could return well before the December deadline which was initially suggested after the surgery which accompanied an injury the England defender suffered at Everton on the final day of last season.

However, the 23-year-old has claimed the reports are inaccurate and, while his progress so far has been smooth, he is still in the early stages of recovery.

“The specialist said late December or early January,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “I will keep that target in my head but there is no guarantee it will be then.

“I have just moved onto running but I am not even kicking a ball yet.”

Brown has already missed an entire year of his career after damaging cruciate ligaments in his right knee during pre-season training ahead of the 1999-2000 campaign. The current damage is in his other leg.