Tom Lockyer could join Wales camp for Finland play-off

Wales intend to discuss the possibility of Tom Lockyer being invited to join their camp for the crucial Euro 2024 play-off against Finland next month, national team boss Rob Page has said.

The Luton centre-back featured in the Dragons’ Euro qualifier against Turkey in November but suffered a cardiac arrest playing for his club against Bournemouth on December 16.

Lockyer had a reunion with his Luton team-mates on January 29, visiting the club’s Brache training ground for the first time since his on-pitch collapse which hospitalised him for five days.

Disconnected

He had admitted he welcomed the return to the training ground having become “disconnected” during the time away, and now Page has indicated he could be given the opportunity to link up with his national team.

Asked if he could be invited to the Wales camp for the Finland game, Page told the PA news agency: “Yeah, absolutely. Locks is part of the squad and part of the family. There will be conversations to be had, but Locks is always part of our squad.”

Page is confident Aaron Ramsey will be able to play a big part for Wales in the Finland game. If Wales win that, they will face a one-off home match against Poland or Estonia for a place in Germany.

Knee injury

Ramsey has been out for five months with a knee injury but has recently returned to club action with Cardiff, and Page said: “Rambo did it against Hungary in a play-off for Euro 2020. Big players turn up for big games and he certainly falls in that category.

“When you’ve got a wealth of experience like he has got, and the ability he has got, albeit he is a couple of years older than what he was in the success of the Euros, he still has a big part to play and he still shows his quality day in and day out on the training ground.”