France manager Didier Deschamps has claimed that Olivier Giroud is still yet to reach peak fitness after spending the majority of Arsenal's season on the sidelines.
The 30-year-old missed out on Les Bleus' last squad after picking up a toe injury, while also struggling from a lack of playing time after being eased back into contention by Arsene Wenger.
Giroud has just 92 minutes of Premier League action under his belt this term, but he has featured four times for the Gunners over the past few weeks and was named in Deschamps's latest squad for the World Cup qualifier with Sweden.
However, Deschamps is unsure whether the former Montpellier striker will start at the Stade de France on Friday evening, telling reporters: "He is not 100% fit, I know it and he knows it too.
"He has started one match [this season] because he was injured, and that is why he couldn't be with us last month. But do not interpret that in one way or in another.
"I took him in September even though he hadn't played, and he played the first and the second game. I know what Olivier is able to do and Kevin [Gameiro] too. All this plays a part in my thinking."
Giroud, who has been linked with a move to a string of Serie A sides of late, scored twice on his return to Premier League action against Sunderland last month and also found the net against Ludogorets Razgrad a few days later.
Daniel Lewis
