Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Thierry Henry, France, Olympics, Football, Premier League, Arsenal, Chelsea, Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid
Ryan Smart
Topics: Thierry Henry, France, Olympics, Football, Premier League, Arsenal, Chelsea, Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid
France coach Thierry Henry was blocked from selecting four Premier League stars in his 25-man squad for the 2024 Olympics.
The Arsenal and France legend named his 25-man contingent on Monday - and the squad is packed with some of world football's top talents.
PSG's Warren Zaire-Emery, Lille's Leny Yoro and Crystal Palace's Michael Olise all are involved, with recently relegated Burnley defender Maxime Esteve also picked by Henry.
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As per Olympics regulations, each nation are allowed to pick three overage players - over the age of 23 - as part of their full squads for the men's and women's tournaments.
Henry's picks are Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, with the coach deciding not to utilise a third overage pick.
However, he did attempt to do so, as per L'Equipe - by approaching Aston Villa over the eligibility of two of their key players.
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It is claimed that he wanted to select either Lucas Digne or Moussa Diaby - or even both - but was turned down by the west Midlands outfit.
Meanwhile, fellow French outlet Le Parisien claim that Arsenal refused to release William Saliba for the Olympics.
And Henry himself has confirmed that Chelsea were unwilling to allow defenders Malo Gusto or Benoit Badashile from playing in Paris this summer.
The Frenchman faced difficulties outside of the Premier League, as he had to hold discussions with Bayern Munich over releasing striker Mathys Tel - who was named in the squad.
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He had less luck with Atletico Madrid over Antoine Griezmann - despite the attacking midfielder repeatedly expressing his desire in public to play - while Real Madrid also refused to let Kylian Mbappe play.
Henry told reporters: "You have to know that it's not easy to find yourself in a situation where you have to go and ask a certain club for permission to be able to take their players, when you actually can't ask for anything since they are always within their right to not send since it's not a FIFA date (the Olympics tournament is run by the IOC).
"When it's already a FIFA date it's hard. So there you go. We're trying to find ways to have certain players, and believe me it's not easy.
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"As you can see, Chelsea just left me [Lesley] Ugochukwu, so there is Ugochukwu, that's all.
"The club have the power, they [Bayern] gave me the possibility for Mathys Tel, so he is here.
"I know it seems quite simple, quite cold, but that's exactly what happened."