MARCUS Forss linked up with the Finland squad as planned at the start of this week, though it's not clear at this stage whether the Middlesbrough striker will be fit to feature against Wales in the European Championship qualifier on Thursday.
Forss suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Boro's game against Blackburn on Saturday and head coach Michael Carrick said afterwards that the forward's participation for Finland this week was in major doubt.
In a statement on Sunday, Finland said Forss was set to "undergo further tests on Monday" before the national team would make a decision on whether the forward would be able to join the team.
While no update on Forss's condition has since been provided, Finland haven't called up any replacement forwards, which would have been the case had Boro's attacker been definitively ruled out. Boro are keeping a close in developments.
Forss had a three-month spell on the sidelines earlier this season through injury but has been fine form since his return, scoring five goals in 12 outings for Boro.
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He's a key player for Michael Carrick, who will be hoping the 24-year-old is fit to feature in Boro's run-in, with eight Championship games remaining after the international break.
Forss will be desperately hoping to be fit for Thursday night's European Championship play-off semi-final in Cardiff, with the winners moving on to host either Estonia or Poland for a place in this summer's tournament.
Wales are clear favourites against Finland, with home advantage, recent head-to-head results and superior FIFA world ranking all on their side.
Finland are ranked 60th in the world – 31 places below Wales – and lost two Nations League ties to the Dragons in 2020, 1-0 in Helsinki and 3-1 in Cardiff.
But Wales defender Joe Rodon says: “As a group we never look at it like that.
“We always see ourselves as underdogs in every game we go into.
“But being in Cardiff is always going to help us. The Red Wall has always been our 12th man and that is going to push us on to the end.”
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