JUDE BELLINGHAM may not know until Friday if he will be cleared to play in England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.
Uefa launched a probe into Bellingham’s crotch-grabbing goal celebration 24 hours after the comeback win over Slovakia that kept the Three Lions’ Euro dream alive.
That cast a cloud over the England camp at their Erfurt base.
While Uefa has refused to make any comment, it is understood that Nyon chiefs contacted Bellingham through the FA on Tuesday.
They are believed to have given Wembley bosses and Bellingham a three day period to provide a response.
That will take the matter up to the eve of the showdown in Dusseldorf.
The Slovakian FA have also been contacted for their observations about the incident.
Bellingham has defended his celebration as “an inside joke” and denied making fun of plucky Slovakia.
Bellingham went onto social media to describe it as: “An inside joke towards some close friends who were at the game.
“Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight.”
It has been noticed that Bellingham has previously made a similar gesture after big goals for Real Madrid this season.
And that came without any punishment from the Spanish FA.
The likely proximity of the conclusion of the investigation until so close to the game against the Swiss has raised hopes from fans that the case will be parked until after the last eight game.
But working on a similar timetable, Uefa banned Albania’s Mirlind Daku from their final group game against Spain just 24 hours before the match.
That was after he picked up a megaphone to incite supporters with a provocative chant at the end of the draw with Croatia.
It means Gareth Southgate, Bellingham and the rest of the England squad will face an anxious three days.
And they could only discover if the star is available shortly before they make the trip to Dusseldorf for the pre-match press conference on Friday.
