Raheem Sterling to skip England friendly against Italy

England winger Raheem Sterling will play no part in the international friendly against Italy next week after being granted leave to return to club side Liverpool, according to reports.

The 20-year-old is understood to have been playing through the pain of a toe injury in recent weeks, requiring regular injections to participate in matches.

Sterling will be available for Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania, but The Guardian reports that he has been given permission to miss the friendly in Turin four days later.

Manager Roy Hodgson earlier admitted that he was expecting "one or two" more withdrawals from his side before the Italy match, with James Milner, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines among those struggling with injuries.

Sterling will become the third Liverpool player to pull out of the initial squad following the withdrawals of Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana, while Fraser Forster and Luke Shaw have also been ruled out.

Hodgson has been at loggerheads with Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers already this season after Sturridge picked up an injury on international duty that sidelined him for a large chunk of the campaign.

Sterling also courted controversy at international level last year by asking to be left out of the starting lineup due to fatigue.