Hugo Ekitike has been named in Didier Deschamps’ latest France squad despite coming off injured in Liverpool‘s Champions League defeat to Galatasaray on Tuesday.
Ekitike, who was forced off in the second-half in Istanbul, received his first France call-up in August, replacing the injured Rayan Cherki, and will travel with Les Bleus again for World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland in October.
“He said he couldn’t continue so we had to take him off. Let’s see how he is for the weekend,” Liverpool boss Arne Slot said after Ekitike was forced off in Istanbul.
Crystal Palace‘s Jean-Phillipe Mateta earns his first senior France call-up adding to a wealth of attacking options for Deschamps, including Kylian Mbappé, Bradley Barcola and Kingsley Coman, who joined Al Nassr in the summer window.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé remains sidelined through injury with Premier League title chasers William Saliba and Ibrahima Konaté both included.
France squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto , Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Manu Koné, Michael Olise, Adrien Rabiot, Khephren Thuram
Attackers: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Kingsley Coman, Hugo Ekitike, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappé, Christopher Nkunku.
