Roy Hodgson plans to speak to Rio Ferdinand in the next week to discover if the Manchester United defender is prepared to share a dressing room with John Terry at this summer’s European Championship.

And the indications last night suggested that Ferdinand will tell Hodgson he would like to be in the 23-man squad which travels to Poland and Ukraine next month.

Ferdinand is fiercely loyal to his brother Anton, whom Terry is alleged to have racially abused at Loftus Road last October.

Dream: Rio Ferdinand (left) wants to play for England at Euro 2012

Hodgson has made the potential problem between his two best centre halves a major priority, with the situation complicated by the fact that Terry’s trial for a racially aggravated public order offence will not be heard until after Euro 2012 in July.

But he hopes the 33-year-old Ferdinand will put his professional ambition ahead of any grievance that he might have with another member of the squad.

On Wednesday, Steven Gerrard gave his full backing to Hodgson, insisting he only failed at Anfield because he took the job at the wrong time.

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