Everton manager David Moyes has warned Jack Rodwell that he is prepared to dash his Olympic dream if he fails to prove his fitness.
The Toffees midfielder has endured an injury-ravaged 2011/12 campaign, with a series of hamstring problems having kept him on the sidelines.
The 21-year-old is, however, expected to form part of Stuart Pearce's Team GB going for gold at this summer's Olympic Games.
Moyes is reluctant to stand in the way of anyone offered the opportunity to compete, but has made it clear that Everton must be the priority.
That means Rodwell will have to put six months of niggling knocks behind him and prove to his club boss that an Olympic outing would be beneficial to him, rather than detrimental.
"I wouldn't be keen on him going if I didn't think he was going to be right," said Moyes.
"He has pulled his hamstring a few times. I'll need to see how he develops.
"When the season finishes, he will have plenty of time to recuperate. But he won't have had any practice and he won't be going away saying, 'I know my leg is okay'.
"Everton is where his priorities should lie. But I wouldn't rule him out of an opportunity to play in the Olympics.
"However, I wouldn't want him to be going there if I thought he had a hamstring problem."
