France's World Cup contender, Cherki, is unable to participate in upcoming qualifiers due to an injury.
Manchester City's Hugo Ekitike Receives First France Call-up Amidst Rayan Cherki's Absence
Hugo Ekitike, the Liverpool forward who recently joined Manchester City, has been called up to the French national team for the first time, despite the absence of Rayan Cherki due to injury.
Ekitike, who signed for City in June for an initial fee of £30.5m from Lyon, has made an impressive start at the Premier League club. He has netted three goals since his transfer, including one during Manchester City's run to the last 16 of the Club World Cup. The Frenchman also started City's loss to Tottenham last weekend and scored on his Premier League debut for the club.
However, Ekitike's call-up is not related to the expected return of Cherki to Manchester City in early November. Cherki, who has been a key player for City this season, is currently out with a quadriceps tear and is expected to miss seven to eight weeks of action. The injury occurred during Manchester City's match against Brighton, a game in which Cherki was also absent.
Pep Guardiola confirmed Cherki's injury in a post-match interview, ruling him out of Didier Deschamps' squad for France's matches against Ukraine and Iceland. As a result, Cherki will also miss France's upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Ekitike's call-up comes at an opportune time for the French national team, as they look to secure their place in the 2022 World Cup. The player who was called up for the first time to the French national team in October 2021 is Hugo Ekitiké, not to be confused with the more famous Kylian Mbappé.
Despite the circumstances surrounding Cherki's injury, Ekitike is eager to make the most of his opportunity with the national team. With his impressive form for Manchester City, he is sure to be a valuable asset for Didier Deschamps' squad.
In the meantime, Manchester City will have to manage without both Ekitike and Cherki, as they look to bounce back from their recent 2-1 loss to Brighton and continue their push for the Premier League title.
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