"Sometimes you have to pinch yourself," Ledley King admitted yesterday, and it felt cruel to point out that Thierry Henry might be saying the same about his own good luck.

Unless John Terry's damaged hamstring heals in time, King knows he will either be a national hero on Sunday night or, if Henry gets his way, he will have been brutally exposed for his inexperience on such a lofty stage.

"I'm ready," King promised, but Henry has the capacity to trouble the world's most accomplished defender, never mind one who spent most of the season playing in midfield for Tottenham.

Given the enormity of the challenge confronting him, King is entitled to recall the damage that Henry has inflicted on Tottenham's defence in recent seasons - and fear the worst. Yet he comes across as being remarkably relaxed.

"If I get the call I'm bound to suffer from nerves but I get that anyway. You can thrive on your nerves before a game and it won't bother me."

With the France national coach, Jacques Santini, taking over at White Hart Lane this summer, King has another reason to want to impress, particularly as he wants to revert to defence on a full-time basis next season.

"Playing in midfield might actually have helped me in terms of being more comfortable on the ball. I had a special job to do for Tottenham this season because the manager wanted someone in midfield with a physical presence, but I am a centre-half. I much prefer playing at the back and it's been a little disappointing (at Tottenham) that I wasn't getting the chance to express myself in defence."

It is a view shared by the England management. "He has played most of his games this season as a central midfield player but central defence is his best position," said Tord Grip, Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant.

By partnering him alongside Sol Campbell in training, Eriksson has already indicated he prefers him to Jamie Carragher should medical staff decide today that Terry is too much of a risk.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been alerted to growing concerns at Everton that Wayne Rooney will opt against signing a new contract with the club, leaving the Merseysiders susceptible to any substantial bid for the England striker lodged after Euro 2004.

Everton have prepared the most lucrative contract in their history to replace Rooney's initial three-year professional deal, signed in January 2003, but have not received any indication either from the player or his representatives, Proactive Sports Management, that he is willing to open discussions. That has merely fuelled rumours of Rooney's imminent departure.

The Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has been quick to express his admiration for the England forward in the past though, realistically, Chelsea are the only Premiership club with the financial clout to bid for a player who is likely to cost up to £30 million.

There has been no formal contact from any interested club as yet, but the uneasy stand-off with Rooney is increasingly undermining Everton's position.

The club would be reluctant sellers even for an English-record amount. To that end, they are willing to break their recently imposed £20,000-a-week wage ceiling to inflate Rooney's salary from a basic £13,000-a-week to nearer £35,000-a-week on a new five-year deal.

The three-year contract was the maximum length the striker could sign as a 17-year-old.

New Everton chairman Bill Kenwright, the club's owner, was anxious to resolve the uncertainty over the striker's future but must now wait until the player returns from Portugal before making any headway.