Capello takes a closer look at Phil Jagielka as defensive back-up

Fabio Capello is giving serious consideration to taking Phil Jagielka to the World Cup finals as cover for Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.

The Everton centre back is one of a number of fringe players who have been asked to undergo altitude and oxygen tests by England coaching staff with a view to helping them to cope with the conditions in South Africa if included in Capello’s 23-man squad.

Although Matthew Upson, the West Ham United defender, seems likely to fill one of the centre-back slots behind Ferdinand and Terry, Jagielka is being weighed up as an alternative by the England manager, along with Joleon Lescott, of Manchester City, and the Tottenham Hotspur pairing of Ledley King and Michael Dawson.

Jagielka, 27, was sidelined for nine months after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but his return in February has been a significant factor in Everton’s good form.

The Times revealed this week how Ferdinand’s fitness problems for Manchester United and Terry’s poor form at Chelsea have caused mounting concern among England’s coaching staff, although Capello also has decisions to make at right back before he announces his provisional squad next month.

Wes Brown has recovered from a broken toe and is in contention to make his first appearance for United for seven weeks against Tottenham at Old Trafford today, but the sudden resurgence of Gary Neville, his team-mate, has put the United captain in the frame for a dramatic call-up.

Neville spent more than a year out of action with a series of injuries but has played in 12 of United’s past 15 matches. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said yesterday that he believes Neville should go to the World Cup. “He’s a really incredible man,” Ferguson said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he went to South Africa.”