Chelsea full-back, Malo Gusto, has forcefully withdrawn from the France Under-23 squad ahead of the team’s friendly matches against the Cote D’ivoire and the United States after contracting an illness.
France will play the Cote D’ivoire later on Saturday in the first of their doubleheader as the team begins its preparation for the Paris Olympics that will take place during the summer.
The Chelsea fullback had been expected to start for Henry Thierry’s side during these games.
The 20-year-old defender made his senior international debut in France’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands in November 2023.
He was later named in manager, France U23 squad for the forthcoming games but he will have to return to London after Gusto reported that he was feeling unwell in their training base in Chateauroux on Saturday morning and that he would not be able to carry on his international duties with the side after being affected by a virus.
This will be a disappointing development for Gusto as positions within the Olympic squad are already at a premium, and any setback could have consequences.
For the upcoming games, it’s thought that his position on the right of the back four will be taken by either Lille OSC’s Bafodé Diakité, 23, or SC Freiburg’s Kiliann Sildillia, 21.
