Ekitike wins late France call up as Cherki drops out / Photo: © AFP
-
Phil Spencer on Housing Market Fairness: How Buyers and Sellers Navigate Falling Prices
-
UAE Cabinet Approves Up to Dh350,000 in Disaster Relief for Citizens
-
Beirut Cinema Festival Draws Thousands Despite War Fatigue
-
Korea's Severe Asthma Patients Blocked from Biologics by Restrictive Reimbursement Rules
-
AMD Forecasts First-Ever Revenue Lead Over Intel on AI Chip Surge
-
COP31: Ana Toni Outlines Fossil Fuel Transition Roadmap Ahead of Climate Talks
-
Abu Dhabi Demand Response Project Achieves 401 MW Peak Reduction in 2025
-
First-time boat buyers advised to assess full ownership costs
-
Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium
-
Planning and preparation can reduce stress of interstate relocation
-
Sweet As app launches restaurant discovery platform
-
Two more arrested in Carrie Mullane suspected murder investigation
-
MLA seeks inquiry into reported sectarian gestures on Ormeau Road
-
Mayo school appeals for information after convent and chapel vandalism
-
Louise O’Reilly attacks Simon Harris over unemployment remarks
-
Virginia overwhelms Arkansas 91-72 behind balanced scoring
-
Canadian soldier Aidan Goulding remembered at Vancouver funeral
-
Second major storm brings destructive winds and outages to British Columbia
-
Tayyab Arif hits 57 on Pakistan Test debut against Sri Lanka
-
Godzilla Minus Zero leads North American box office with $31.6m
-
Robert Trujillo discusses literacy and social justice children’s books
-
Doug Burgum's Security Interferes With TMZ Reporter at Reagan Airport
-
Advocate calls for coordinated support for children facing trafficking
-
Civil rights advocate William Bill Tucker dies aged 98
-
Medicare Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 7: Review Your Coverage Options
-
Pennsylvania Democrats secure state trifecta in midterm elections
-
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Final Edition GSR Listed for $49,990 in Ontario
-
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Hosts Four-Day Día de Muertos Festival with Parades and Competitions
-
US Treasury order targets bank transfers linked to crypto exchange MEXC
-
Godzilla Minus Zero sets foreign-language box-office opening record
-
Eagles record six sacks as rushing attack struggles against Giants
-
Villeneuve teases James Bond casting at Los Angeles museum gala
-
Thames Water seeks to delay £12bn in debt repayments
-
Nottinghamshire launches specialist rural crime policing team
-
Newark boxing gym expands alternative education programme
-
China confirms talks over possible Xi-Putin-Trump summit
-
Democrats consider impeachment drive against Defence Secretary Hegseth
-
Rail journey offers a slower route to a Berlin city break
-
Energy bill plan could use HMRC income data to target support
-
Arsenal control title race as Manchester United fall into bottom three
-
Business owner earning £6,000 a month tackles £70,000 debt
-
Suspected Krakow gunman dies after attack that killed six
-
Nvidia chief faces inquiry after disclosing affair with suspected Chinese agent
-
Carrick backs Dalot after hostile reception from Manchester United fans
-
Comet returns as online electrical marketplace 14 years after collapse
Ekitike wins late France call up as Cherki drops out
Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has been called up to the French national team for the first time as a replacement for the injured Rayan Cherki, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Sunday.
Before Sunday's game with Arsenal, Ekitike had made an impressive start to his Liverpool career with three goals in three competitive outings since arriving in the close-season from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 23-year-old striker also scored five goals in five appearances for the France Under-21 side last season.
Ekitike is a No.9, a position coach Didier Deschamps has struggled to fill since Olivier Giroud's international retirement.
Yet Ekitike was omitted when Deschamps announced his squad for France's opening 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine in Poland on Friday and against Iceland in Paris on September 9.
Cherki, who was unavailable on Sunday for Manchester City in the English Premier League, is suffering from a "torn left quadriceps," the FFF said.
"He's out for two months or so," City manager Pep Guardiola said on Sunday after his team's 2-1 defeat at Brighton.
The weekend fixtures may have left Deschamps with other problems.
Striker Ousmane Dembele left the pitch holding his left hamstring after scoring twice as Paris Saint-Germain beat Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Defender William Saliba, who missed the Nations League Final Four in June, went off five minutes into Arsenal's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday after a collision with Ekitike.
Another member of the France squad, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate also limped off, in the 79th minute.
O.Bulka--BTB