Chelsea star Wesley Fofana pulls out of France squad over injury concerns

France have announced that Chelsea star Wesley Fofana will not join up with the national team squad despite being recalled by Didier Deschamps.

Fofana looks set for a big season at Stamford Bridge having endured a frustrating and injury-plagued time since his £70million transfer from Leicester City two years ago.

He missed the entirety of last season due to an ACL injury, but Enzo Maresca thinks very highly of the centre-back, playing him for the full 90minutes in Chelsea’s opening three Premier League games of this campaign.

His early performances have put him back in contention for the France team having won his one and only cap last year in the record-breaking 14-0 win over Gibraltar.

Les Bleus take on Italy and Belgium in the Nations League over the next week, but Fofana will now have to wait a little longer before making his return to international football.

It was announced on Monday that the 23-year-old had decided to decline the call-up in order to continue his rehabilitation from the ACL issue.

‘Wesley Fofana was on the list of twenty-three players announced last Thursday by Didier Deschamps, for the two Nations League matches against Italy, on Friday September 6 at the Parc des Princes and on Monday 9, at Lyon-Décines, against Belgium,’ a statement from the French Football Federation read.

‘But after an exchange with the national coach, the central defender of FC Chelsea (English Premier League) will finally remain at his club’s disposal and take advantage of the international break to follow a treatment protocol, linked to the injuries which kept him away from the field for a long time last season.’

Maresca himself had previously stated how he had to be careful with Fofana’s game time as he continued his recovery.

The manager left the defender out of his squad for the Conference League play-off against Servette, explaining: ‘Some decisions are made to take care of the players.’

A trio of Premier League stars remain in the France squad, namely West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and Arsenal and Liverpool centre-backs William Saliba and Ibrahima Konate.

While Fofana is fit, Maresca still has some injury issues to deal with, with captain Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Omari Kellyman out with hamstring problems, while Malo Gusto limped off during Sunday’s draw against Crystal Palace with a muscle issue.

Chelsea are next in action on September 14 when they travel to Bournemouth.

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