A number of Premier League stars have been dealt a crushing blow with the announcement of the France squad for the 2018 World Cup.
The headline names missing from the squad for next months tournament in Russia are Manchester United winger Anthony Martial and Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.
The United star has struggled for minutes since the arrival of Alexis Sanchez in January, and has been linked with an Old Trafford exit this summer.
Arsenal striker Lacazette is also a surprise omission for Les Blues, after the former Lyon forward hit a rich vein of form towards the end of the season with the Gunners.
While both Martial and Lacazette are not included in Didier Deschamps’ 23-man squad, they have been included in his 11 man shortlist, so they could still end up making the plane to Russia yet. That standby list also includes Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho and Spurs’ midfielder Moussa Sissoko.
Elsewhere, Manchester City’s £57 million signing Aymeric Laporte didn’t even make the standby list, while former West Ham star Dimitri Payet was ruled out of the tournament after picking up an injury in Wednesday nights Europa League final.
It wasn’t all bad news for Premier League stars though, with Hugo Lloris, Benjamin Mendy, N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba and Olivier Giroud all being handed a boarding card for the plane.
FULL FRANCE WORLD CUP SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Areola, Lloris, Mandanda
Defenders: Hernandez, Kimpembe, Mendy, Pavard, Rami, Sidibe, Umtiti, Varane.
Midfielders: Kante, Matuidi, N’Zonzi, Pogba, Tolisso
Forwards: O. Dembele, Fekir, Giroud, Griezmann, Lemar, Mbappe, Thauvin.
RESERVES
Ben Yedder, Coman, Costil, Debuchy, Digne, Lacazette, Martial, Rabiot, Sakho, Sissoko, Zouma.