ALAMEDA, California -- Concerns have arisen over the fitness of Mohamed Touré on the eve of the Socceroos' opening World Cup fixture with Türkiye, after the striker was a no-show during the portion of training open to media on Wednesday.
Taking the field at the Oakland Roots and Soul facility in Alameda on Wednesday evening, Touré was a notable absentee from the group as they commenced their warm-up, with every other member of Tony Popovic's 26-player unit taking part.
The Norwich City attacker had arrived at the facility with the rest of his teammates, present for a team photo that was taken before the commencement of the day's session.
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Any kind of absence from Touré would represent a significant blow to Australia, with the 22-year-old widely expected to lead the line for the Socceroos throughout their World Cup campaign.
Should Touré prove unavailable for Saturday's clash with Türkiye, it would leave Tete Yengi as the only fit striker in the squad, with the 25-year-old only having made his international debut in Australia's 1-1 draw with Switzerland in San Diego last Saturday, in which he scored his side's 56th-minute equaliser.
Other potential options to lead the line would be Nestory Irankunda, who played on the wing against the Swiss, but who has previously been deployed centrally by Popovic.
Veteran winger Mathew Leckie, who has a history of being pressed inside throughout his career, could also serve as an option, and is perhaps the most likely option should Popovic opt not to start Yengi.
The coach previously praised the Melbourne City utility when announcing his squad, stating that "the luxury of Mathew Leckie is that he can play anywhere. He has the experience and maturity that you don't need a week or two of training in a position with him. You can basically show him a video, and he would know what to do."
Though less likely, Melbourne Victory flanker Nishan Velupillay could also serve as an option to replace Touré, having been seen as a false-nine option during his time in the A-League Men.
A Socceroos spokesperson was approached by ESPN for comment on Touré's absence.