Thuram ruled out of Les Bleus camp: who will Zidane call up next?

Another blow for Zinédine Zidane. Marcus Thuram has pulled out of the France squad, and a replacement is expected to be named within hours.

The Inter Milan striker had only just returned to the national team after missing the September gathering.

What happened?

Thuram has a problem with his right hamstring. He picked it up in Inter's 2-0 win over Como in Serie A on Sunday, a game in which he scored the second goal. It was his sixth in 14 matches this season.

The discomfort kept him out of training on Monday, and he stayed in treatment. After tests and no improvement on Tuesday, the decision was made to send him back to Milan. The France staff and Inter talked it over and agreed.

Thuram, who has 35 caps and three international goals, leaves Clairefontaine (the national team's training base near Paris) on Tuesday afternoon. He will miss both games: Italy on 12 November and Türkiye on 15 November, in the Nations League.

Who comes in?

A new name should arrive in the next few hours. According to RMC and Le Parisien, it will be Bournemouth forward Elie Junior Kroupi, 20, formerly of Lorient.

Kroupi is still short of game time after a two-to-three-month injury, with just three Premier League matches and 57 minutes played. But Zidane's staff have followed him closely, and several big European clubs, Paris Saint-Germain among them, rate him highly.

Zidane had already said Kroupi was on his extended list of 64 players. He explained that the injury layoff made a call-up feel a little premature.

Another option was PSG's Senny Mayulu, 20, who trains with the Under-21s. Zidane has shown he is happy to draw on that group, as he did with Saël Kumbebi and Leny Yoro in September.

What's next?

This is the second withdrawal in two days, after defender Pierre Kalulu pulled out on Monday. France face Italy on Thursday, then Türkiye on Sunday.

The new squad member is expected to be confirmed shortly.