UEFA EURO 2016: Five players to watch in France

France are coming together nicely under Didier
Deschamps but there is still plenty of time for
players to force themselves (back) into the reckoning
ahead of UEFA EURO 2016.

“The door remains open,” Deschamps said Christian
Châtelet picks out five on the fringes who could make
a late run.
Hatem Ben Arfa (Nice, winger)
After six months in the footballing wilderness, the
28-year-old confirmed that he is back hungrier than
ever with a dazzling goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win against
Caen, beating four defenders before applying the
coup de grace. “I just want to have fun on the pitch
again,” he says. “But there is no lack of ambition.”
Ben Arfa, who won the last of his 13 caps in 2012,
looks to be getting back to his best and, at his best,
he is difficult to ignore.
Abou Diaby (Marseille, midfielder)
Long regarded as the natural successor to Patrick
Vieira, a wretched list of injuries have denied him
the mantle – now 29, he is running out of time. Diaby
has made just 23 appearances over the past four
seasons, including the last of his 16 caps in
September 2012, but after ending a decade at
Arsenal he hopes his new surroundings at Marseille
can bring a change of fortunes. “I’m in a new chapter
and aiming to get back to my best.”
Lassana Diarra (Marseille, midfielder)
Another man looking to revive his career at the Stade
Vélodrome and, at his best, someone who can
provide backup to the likes of Paul Pogba and Blaise
Matuidi. Former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder
Diarra has fallen off the radar during four years in
Russia, and did not make a single appearance in
2014/15 after being frozen out at Lokomotiv Moskva.
The 30-year-old marked his first appearance in 14
months with a goal at the weekend.
Layvin Kurzawa (AS Monaco, defender)
A key part of Monaco’s run to the UEFA Champions
League quarter-finals last season, Kurzawa appears to
have resisted the lure of a transfer away to continue
his development in the principality. “EURO 2016 at
home is clearly a goal for me,” says the 22-year-old.
France are blessed with left-backs, with Patrice Evra,
Benoît Trémoulinas and Lucas Digne all vying for
places, but Kurzawa is pushing them hard.
Anthony Martial (AS Monaco, forward)
Another Monaco youngster, Martial is the only
uncapped player on this list. He needs to improve his
efficiency in front of goal having managed a solitary
league strike last season, but he is already on
Deschamps’ radar and admits the pair have spoken.
Martial is often compared to Thierry Henry and will
hope to emulate Titi by making his major finals bow
at 20 – 1998 was not a bad year for Henry or France.