King's hopes of adding to his 16 caps this summer could be over

The 25-year-old was injured during Saturday's win at Everton after a clash with Duncan Ferguson but played on, only limping off in the 90th minute.

Spurs coach Martin Jol reassured England that King would be fit.

"He will take three or four weeks to recover so of course he will be fit for the World Cup," Jol said.

King was set to be named in the England squad on 8 May.

He joins fellow defenders Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole as a doubt for Germany.

If King is ruled out, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson could draft in Manchester United defender Wes Brown.

Eriksson has yet to decide whether to take a chance on Arsenal's Campbell, who has been troubled both on and off the pitch this season.

And Campbell's team-mate Cole, England's first-choice left-back, is also recovering from an ankle injury and is yet to return to first-team football.

Striker Michael Owen is also currently sidelined after breaking his foot, but is expected to play for Newcastle before the end of the season.

This year's event would have been King's first World Cup, although he played in Euro 2004.

King, who won his first cap against Italy in 2002, is behind central defenders John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Carragher in Eriksson's pecking order.

But the Tottenham captain has won the Swede's favour after showing his versatility in the midfield holding role.

Although Eriksson is set to name his squad on the 8 May, Fifa's deadline for them to be submitted is one week later on 15 May.