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Football

01st Oct 2018

Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi could be in line for an international call-up

The Arsenal midfielder has impressed since making the jump from Ligue 2 to the Premier League and could be rewarded with a France call-up

Reuben Pinder

It would be a very strategic call-up

Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi could be in line for a call-up to the France squad ahead of the upcoming international break, according to reports.

The 19-year-old joined the Gunners this summer from Ligue 2 side Lorient and has impressed in the seven matches he has played so far, winning the club’s Player of the Month award for August.

After being chucked in the deep end on the opening weekend of the season – when Arsenal played Manchester City – he quickly adapted to the intensity of the Premier League and has caught the attention of France boss Didier Deschamps.

France are not exactly short of central midfielders, but Deschamps could call up the youngster in order to prevent him from defecting to Morocco, whom he could also play for.

Morocco have approached him in the past, but after Guendouzi’s father met with manager Hervé Renard, the player decided to pledge his international allegiance to France.

France will play Iceland in a friendly in their first game of the October international break before welcoming Germany to the Stade de Frances for the second meeting between the two teams in the UEFA Nations League.