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November 20, 2022Arsenal star William Saliba will not start for France at the World Cup despite concerns over Manchester United’s Raphael Varane, insists William Gallas.
Didier Deschamps’ champions are out in Qatar to defend their world title having emerged victorious at the last tournament in 2018.
Varane was expected to start at centre-back for Les Bleus but ongoing concerns around his fitness means Deschamps may decide to pick someone else instead.
Arsenal defender Saliba has been one of the outstanding performers in the Premier League this season, cementing his place at the heart of a Gunners defence that has underpinned the team’s ascent to the top of the table.
Saliba has already been capped seven times at senior level by France but former Gunner and fellow Frenchman Gallas has warned that he is still behind two players in France’s pecking order, even if Varane does not feature.
‘William Saliba has had a brilliant first half of the season, but I think it will be difficult for him to be a starter for France,’ Gallas told Genting Casino.
‘Even if Varane doesn’t play, I don’t think that Saliba would be Deschamps’ first choice to start.
‘You have [Ibrahima] Konate at Liverpool and [Dayot] Upamecano at [Bayern] Munich.
‘If he does play and if he plays well, I don’t think it will make contract negotiations with Arsenal any more difficult.
‘I think he will stay with Arsenal. He is at the right club to take it to the next level for the next two to three years and he could become a Premier League champion.’
France are in Group D at the World Cup with their first match on Tuesday against Australia.
The champions then face Denmark on November 26 and Tunisia on November 30.
If they win their group as expected, France will face the runners-up from Group C in the last 16, likely to be Poland or Mexico.
