Payet returns to France squad



Dimitri Payet is back in the senior France squad after receiving a call-up from Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps.

The in-form West Ham United has been rewarded for a series of sensational displays in Claret and Blue and is now set to feature in France's upcoming pre-Euro 2016 international matches with the Netherlands and Russia.

Deschamps' side will take on the Dutch in Amsterdam on Friday 25 March before welcoming the Russians to the Stade de France in Paris on Tuesday 29 March.

For Payet, the call-up will give him an opportunity to add to the 15 senior caps he has already earned, the last of which came in Albania in June 2015.

The 28-year-old, who made his France debut against Romania in October 2010, has scored twice for his country.

Payet has been sensational since joining the Hammers from Olympique de Marseille last summer, scoring eleven goals and registering ten assists in 29 appearances in all competitions.

The Reunion-born player will now hope to impress and earn himself a place in Deschamps' squad for Euro 2016, which will see host nation France take on Albania, Romania and Switzerland in Group A.

Elsewhere, Darren Randolph has been named in the provisional Republic of Ireland squad for their pre-Euro 2016 internationals with Switzerland and Slovakia, which will both take place in Dublin on 25 and 29 March respectively.

Cheikhou Kouyate is in the Senegal squad for two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Niger, while Enner Valencia is in the table-topping Ecuador selection for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home to Paraguay and home to Colombia.

Stephen Hendrie is in the Scotland U21 squad for UEFA European Championship qualifiers with France in Anger and Northern Ireland in Paisley.

Young winger Martin Samuelsen, who has impressed on loan at Peterborough United, has earned his first Norway U21 call-up and will hope to play some part against the Netherlands and Spain, who they face in a mini-tournament in southern Spain on 25 and 28 March respectively.

Bradford City loanee Reece Burke is in the England U20 squad for a friendly double-header with Canada in Doncaster, while goalkeeper Sam Howes is in the U19 squad for the UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with mini-group hosts Spain, Greece and Georgia.

Reece Oxford, who has been asked to participate in a photoshoot for the new England kit, is in the U18 squad for friendly matches in Austria and at home to Austria at St George's Park.

Burke's fellow Bradford loanee Josh Cullen is in the Ireland U21 squad for important UEFA European Championship qualifiers with Italy in Waterford on 24 March and away to Slovenia in Koper on 28 March.

Sticking with the Irish, Declan Rice and Anthony Scully are in the U17 squad for UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with mini-group hosts Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, while schoolboy Conor Coventry is in the Ireland U16 squad.