Rayan Cherki set for first senior France call-up | OneFootball

Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki (21) is in a favourable position to earn his first senior France call-up, according to L’Equipe. France national team manager Didier Deschamps will announce this Wednesday the Les Bleus squad tasked to win the Nations League Final Four, set to be held next month. France will take on Spain on Thursday, June 5, at Stuttgart in the semi-finals. Should they win, they would face either Germany or Portugal in the Nations League final on Sunday, June 8, in Munich.

Several key members of the France squad are set to miss out, such as Bayern Munich centre-back Dayot Upamecano, Barcelona right-back Jules Koundé and Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. Furthermore, potentially seven France players (Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Benjamin Pavard and Marcus Thuram) are expected to be involved in the Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan.

The need for Deschamps to call up an expanded squad may play in Cherki’s hands, even if the Lyon youth product remains eligible to feature for France at next June’s UEFA U-21 Euros. L’Equipe adds that the French FA are well aware of Cherki’s talent, who is reportedly a target for Manchester United. They also know the Algerian FA and the Italian FA could tempt Cherki to switch his national allegiance. The outlet adds that Cherki confided he would accept a call from Les Fennecs or La Nazionale if he wasn’t called up by Les Bleus.

This has not gone unnoticed among Deschamps’ backroom staff. For Cherki to remain tied with France over the course of his career, he would have to feature in a competitive outing for Les Bleus, and the Nations League finals may provide Deschamps the opportunity to do so.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval