England boss Steve McClaren has flown to the United States to check on the fitness of LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham.

McClaren flew to Los Angeles on Friday in time to attend LA Galaxy's training session yesterday and he will watch Beckham in action tonight, as well as monitoring his form in Galaxy's two further matches this week in Vancouver and Minneapolis.

McClaren, under pressure to guide his team to next summer's tournament, wants Beckham involved in the friendly against Austria in Vienna on November 16 and the final Euro qualifier against Croatia at Wembley five days later.

The drawback for McClaren is that he will see Beckham play today only in a charity match against Hollywood United, a team made up of actors and musicians - hardly the kind of workout that will replicate the international clashes with Austria and, more importantly, Croatia at Wembley.

McClaren's transatlantic trip follows weeks of communication between the pair in which the coach repeatedly assured the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar that he was still part of his plans, in spite of Beckham's injury frustrations.

Beckham himself has never lost his desire to pull on an England shirt.

"He would play on one leg for England," a source close to the player told the Mail on Sunday. "He has been working hard to get fit again and is confident he would not let England down."