France Coach Didier Deschamps Reveals Why Liverpool’s Ekitike Was Not Included in National Team for World Cup Qualifiers

France’s head coach Didier Deschamps has explained the reasons behind Hugo Ekitike’s absence from the national team squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Despite recent strong performances at club level, Ekitike was not selected for the matches against Ukraine and Iceland in early September.

The forward, who recently transferred to Liverpool in a £79 million deal from Eintracht Frankfurt, has made an impressive start at his new club, scoring in each of his first three competitive appearances. Having previously represented France at youth levels, Ekitike was hopeful of earning his first senior international cap.

However, the squad announced on Wednesday did not include him. Instead, Deschamps chose to focus on other attacking options such as Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Thuram, Ousmane Dembele, Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, and Michael Olise. Deschamps cited intense competition for the forward position as the main reason for Ekitike’s omission.

He explained, “Hugo has shown his potential, what he achieved last season and at Liverpool, and we have been monitoring him since his time at Frankfurt. But there is a lot of competition for that spot,” adding, “He has the ability to play for France, but right now, we have many talented players vying for places.”

Despite his strong start at Liverpool, Ekitike might soon face increased challenges for game time, especially with Liverpool’s interest in Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak. Liverpool had already seen a £110 million bid for Isak rejected last month and could submit another offer before the transfer deadline, though Newcastle remains reluctant to let him go until they find suitable replacements.

Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot praised Ekitike after a recent victory, saying, “He’s scored in all three games with us, and his influence has been noticeable. The focus should remain on his contributions, regardless of other transfer rumors.”

This weekend, Liverpool faces Arsenal at Anfield in what promises to be an exciting fixture early in the season.