Watford boss Marco Silva is confident Nathaniel Chalobah can make England's World Cup squad.

The former Chelsea prodigy suffered a hairline stress fracture of his left kneecap four months ago.

Silva remains upbeat about Chalobah's hopes of making the cut for Russia 2018, insisting: “I'm sure – and that is a strong word – that he will have time to do everything. When he comes back, and I hope it is as soon as possible, it will just be a matter of regaining confidence because the quality is there.

“He will not have lost his skills and everybody is ready to support him to come back at a good level when he starts to work with us again.

“Only if he does that can he achieve other things (with England). He reached the national team because he was doing really well and we will give him all the help to work hard and play in the right way."