France manager Didier Deschamps has suggested that Arsenal defender William Saliba has improvements to make before he is considered for a regular spot in the starting lineup.
Since spending three loan spells in his homeland, Saliba has returned to the Gunners and established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.
As well as contributing four goals from his 55 starts in the division, the 23-year-old has starred in a team that finished as runners-up in 2022-23 and currently top the 2023-24 standings.
Saliba has been handed a total of 12 caps by Deschamps since making his international debut in March 2022, yet that is not to say that he has a guaranteed place in the squad ahead of Euro 2024.
He made just one 27-minute outing during the 2022 World Cup, where France reached the final, and 90 minutes have been completed just twice since that tournament.
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In the final Euro 2024 qualifier with Greece, Saliba was part of a team that could only post a 2-2 draw, and that subsequently contributed to the former Saint-Etienne, Marseille and Nice man dropping down to the substitutes' bench for Saturday's friendly with Germany.
Les Bleus would lose 2-0 to the upcoming tournament hosts, with Saliba remaining as an unused substitute, yet Deschamps told reporters at a press conference on Monday that the defeat may not necessarily work in Saliba's favour regarding selection.
Deschamps said: "He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don't like so much.
"For France, he has limited game time, but when he plays, that hasn't necessarily gone well. The hierarchy doesn't favour him at the moment, but he is here.
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"Dayot Upamecano has had game time and perhaps William has had less. With certain players, I make sure to persevere, because it can be confidence or little blockages that can shift."
Saliba will hope to receive a recall for the friendly against Chile on Tuesday evening - France's final game before Deschamps selects his squad for Euro 2024.
Of the current squad, Saliba is competing against Upamecano, Jules Kounde, Ibrahima Konate and Lucas Hernandez for a place in the back four.
Axel Disasi and Jean-Clair Todibo are also among the contenders to be selected in the final squad for the European Championship.
Darren Plant
