Arsenal defender William Saliba has not been selected for France’s Olympic squad chasing gold in Paris this summer.
Saliba has established himself as one of the finest centre-halves in Europe over the last two seasons at the Gunners, playing every minute of the 2023-24 campaign.
At 23, he is eligible to represent his country at this summer’s Olympic Games in his home country, with the side to be managed by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Henry was eager to include Saliba in his squad but Arsenal have refused to release the defender, whose start to the new Premier League season would surely be delayed by his participation.
The Olympics get underway on 24 July with France opening the football tournament on 24 July, hoping to reach the final on 9 August – just a week before the Premier League restarts.
Arsenal have got their wish however with Saliba not included in the 25-man squad confirmed by Les Blues on Monday.
Chelsea defenders Benoit Badiashile and Malo Gusto have also been left out of the squad with Real Madrid winning their battle to retain their key stars in Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni not included.
Kylian Mbappe, who is expected to join those two at Real this week, was also left out of the squad by Henry did not rule out the possibility of him joining following Euro 2024.
‘The last time I had this many rejections was in middle school,’ Henry joked at a press conference announcing the squad.
Antoine Griezmann is also among the absentees.
Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta do make the squad along with former Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette.
Mateta enjoyed a blistering end to the 2023-24 season, thriving under Oliver Glasner as he scored 13 goals in 13 league appearances.
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