Al-Ittihad midfielder N’Golo Kanté (33) has impressed his teammates since returning from the international football wilderness after being recalled by Didier Deschamps for the forthcoming EURO 2024 tournament in Germany.

N’Golo Kanté back to his best after injury nightmare

After his final season at Chelsea was interrupted by persistent injury, the Frenchman has re-ignited his career after moving to Saudi Arabia to sign for Al-Ittihad, one of the national league’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owned clubs alongside Al-Hilal, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli. Although his side only managed to finish fifth in an underwhelming season, the midfielder impressed on his return to fitness, earning him a first call-up to Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus since June 2022.

With Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni (24) recovering from a foot injury that kept him confined to the bench of Los Blancos Champions League triumph on Saturday night, Kanté’s return to form and fitness has been timely for a France squad that also contains the magnificent Youssouf Fofana (25), another defensively-minded midfielder coming off the back of a superb end to the season with AS Monaco. Whilst the Monégasque might be better placed to start against Austria, Kanté’s lack of ego makes him a superb squad option for Deschamps, who can build his starting XI safe in the knowledge that the rejuvenated former Leicester City and Chelsea man will be happy to wait his turn.

GFFN | Jack McArdle