Lyon hotshot Cherki called up by France for Nations League / Photo: Olivier CHASSIGNOLE - AFP/File
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Lyon hotshot Cherki called up by France for Nations League
Lyon striker Rayan Cherki, who has been linked with a summer move to the English Premier League, is in line to win his first France cap after coach Didier Deschamps called him up Wednesday to his squad for the Nations League Final Four.
A product of Lyon's youth academy, the 21-year-old enjoyed a highly successful season in Ligue 1, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists.
That return has prompted interest, according to media reports on both sides of the Channel, from both Liverpool and Manchester United.
Cherki, who is also eligible to play for Algeria and Italy, has been a regular with France's Under-21 team but his selection ends speculation about his international future.
He is one of 25 players called up to face Spain in the Nations League semi-final in Stuttgart on June 5. The final and the match for third place are scheduled for June 8.
His elevation to the senior squad all but rules him out of the European Under-21 Championships in Slovakia which begin just after the Nations League finals.
Deschamps, however, will have to do without almost his entire first-choice defence, with Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Jules Kounde all withdrawing through injury.
Instead, Deschamps has been able to restore Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Hernandez to his defence and there are call-ups for uncapped pair Loic Bade and Pierre Kalulu as well as Chelsea's Malo Gusta and Atletico's Clement Lenglet.
He will also be without Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who is out with a hamstring injury.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Loic Bade (Sevilla/ESP), Malo Gusto (Chelsea/ENG), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan/ITA), Clement Lenglet (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus/ITA)
Midfielders: Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio/ITA), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG), Aurelien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid/ESP)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus/ITA), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid/ESP), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Ousmane Dembele(PSG), Desire Doue (PSG)
M.Pellegrini--GdR
