Official: Aston Villa star replaced in int’l squad by Everton & West Ham target

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Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne has been replaced in the France squad by reported Everton and West Ham target Adrien Truffert, who is enjoying a fantastic season with Stade Rennais.

Les Bleus announced on their official website that the 20-year-old left-back has replaced Digne in the France squad after the 29-year-old withdrew from the team this international break due to injury, allowing Truffert to earn his first senior call-up for the national team.

A reported target for both Everton and West Ham, as well as Leicester City, Truffert is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting defensive talents in France this season, with the Belgian-born defender featuring in every game for Rennes so far this campaign, bagging two assists along the way.

With Villa’s £25m defender now out this month through injury, Didier Deschamps has called upon Truffert for the reigning FIFA World Cup winners for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Austria and Denmark, where the European giants will be hoping for a big result ahead of Qatar.

France will be one of the favourites to reclaim their world title this winter, yet for Digne, getting injured now and being replaced by a Premier League target and youngster in Truffert is far from ideal, with the 20-year-old now having the opportunity to show his senior national team what he is capable of.

Indeed, Truffert has been in fine form this season for Rennes, and if the defender is allowed the chance to impress for France, there’s a good chance the Everton and West Ham target could win a seat for France on their way to the Middle East this November.

Truffert making the France squad over Digne in November will be massive

Digne has been a staple for the France squad for some years, yet with the defender’s form quite disappointing this season and Truffert breaking onto the scene, we now find ourselves in a position where the Rennes youngster could bag a spot to Qatar over his Villa counterpart, despite his incredible amount of international experience.

After all, Deschamps has always been an international manager willing to give up-and-coming players a chance to impress, and Truffert could do just that with France this month if the defender is given minutes against Austria and Denmark in the Nations League.