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Malo Gusto earns first France call-up, Axel Disasi replaces Jules Kounde

Gusto earns first France call-up, Disasi replaces Kounde
© Reuters
Chelsea duo Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi are called up to the France squad in place of the injured Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano.

Chelsea duo Axel Disasi and Malo Gusto have both earned call-ups to the France squad for October's internationals due to Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano's withdrawals.

Didier Deschamps's side will return to Euro 2024 qualifying duty against the Netherlands on Friday, having won five out of five in a perfect start to Group B.

Four days later, Les Bleus will then take on Scotland in a friendly at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, but Deschamps's defensive ranks have already been decimated by injuries.

On Sunday, it was announced that Arsenal's William Saliba would not be able to turn out for his country due to a toe problem, leading to a call-up for Jean-Clair Todibo.

Barcelona's Kounde and Bayern Munich's Upamecano also sustained injuries in the latest round of domestic fixtures, with the former spraining his knee in a 2-2 La Liga draw with Granada.

Chelsea's Axel Disasi celebrates scoring their first goal on August 13, 2023© Reuters

Meanwhile, Upamecano could only complete 77 minutes of Bayern's 3-0 Bundesliga win over Freiburg due to a hamstring injury, forcing Deschamps into another defensive reshuffle on the eve of the squad's reunion.

The France boss has looked to West London to reinforce his depleted ranks, and the withdrawals of Upamecano and Kounde have seen Gusto earn his maiden call-up to the senior Bleus squad.

The 20-year-old - who has featured regularly for Chelsea in the absence of injured captain Reece James - had initially been called up to the Under-21s, whom he boasts one goal and two assists in nine games for since his debut in 2021.

However, the former Lyon man has now been promoted to the first team and is set to link up with the squad this afternoon ahead of their trip to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands this weekend.

Meanwhile, Disasi was initially overlooked by Deschamps, who did not select the 25-year-old initially and also overlooked him when scoping out replacements for the stricken Saliba.

France coach Didier Deschamps on September 12, 2023© Reuters

Disasi has endured a mixed start to the season with Chelsea, scoring on his Premier League debut against Liverpool before the Blues' fortunes took a nosedive under Mauricio Pochettino.

Nevertheless, Disasi has remained a regular fixture in the Chelsea backline, playing every minute in back-to-back Premier League victories over Fulham and Burnley earlier this month.

The former Monaco centre-back will now don the France colours again after being called up to the squad for September's meetings with the Republic of Ireland and Germany, although he was an unused substitute in both games, and he is set to arrive at the national team training base this evening.

Disasi boasts four caps in total for the France national team, three of which came at the 2022 World Cup, where he made his debut as a right-back in a 1-0 group-stage loss to Tunisia.

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France and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate pictured in June 2023
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