Didier Deschamps has explained why Ibrahima Konate has been left out of his France squad despite his stellar season for Liverpool.
Konate, 22, has been hugely impressive at centre-back since joining the Reds from RB Leipzig in a £36million transfer last summer. The Paris native played 90 minutes in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final and semi-final, against Benfica and Villarreal respectively, to help Liverpool reach the Stade de France showpiece.
He has also made 23 domestic appearances in his debut season in England, picking up EFL Cup and FA Cup winners' medals on the way. However, Konate has not done enough to convince Deschamps he deserves a maiden call-up to the senior France squad and the chance to earn his first cap for his country.
Instead, Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe, Sevilla's Jules Kounde, Bayern Munich's Lucas Hernandez, Manchester United's Raphael Varane and Arsenal's William Saliba have been picked for the Nations League fixtures against Denmark, Croatia and Austria in June. Varane has been a mainstay for Les Bleus, playing a major role in their World Cup triumph in 2018 and Nations League triumph last year.
However, many suspect the 29-year-old is not the same player who was so reliable for Real Madrid for many years, as he has been part of a struggling United defence this season, having joined the Red Devils in a £34million transfer last summer. Saliba, meanwhile, has shone on loan at Marseille and scooped the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award this season.
The 21-year-old earned his first two caps for France earlier this year but the gulf in quality between the Premier League and French top flight raises questions of whether he truly is a top-class defender at this stage in his fledgling career, which is further evidenced as his future with the Gunners is uncertain.
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Nonetheless, Deschamps values Saliba's ability to play in a three-man central-defensive unit, which is a system Liverpool do not use. Instead, Konate frequently partners Virgil van Dijk, which counted against him when the time came for the France boss to pick his squad.
"Yes, I'm following. He's in a team which is competing in the Champions League final and for the title in England," Deschamps said of Konate. "But since he's been at Liverpool, he's mostly played in a four-man defence and there is competition [in the France squad].
"I brought William last time and he always plays in a back three. It's either one or the other. It's very competitive and that's very good. It allows for the veterans to not get too comfortable."
