(Reuters) – Arsenal defender William Saliba has had a successful season with the Premier League club, but according to France manager Didier Deschamps, there are still areas of his game that need improvement before he can secure a spot in the national team’s starting lineup.
Saliba, 23, has played six out of 12 games for France, but he was left on the bench during their recent 2-0 defeat to Germany in a friendly match. Despite this, he is expected to play in France’s upcoming friendly against Chile.
In recent matches, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, and Benjamin Pavard have been chosen over Saliba, with all four defenders vying for a place in France’s Euro 2024 squad.
“Saliba has had a good season with Arsenal,” said Deschamps in a press conference on Monday. “But I have noticed some inconsistencies in his performances. He hasn’t had a lot of playing time with the national team, and when he has played, it hasn’t always gone smoothly.”
“I understand that the current lineup doesn’t favor him, but he is still part of the team. He will have an opportunity to play on Tuesday.”
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
