France suffer scare after Mbappe limps away from training
Striker plays down ankle injury after Rami tackle Atletico agree deal to sign Monaco’s Lemar
France suffered an injury scare just four days before they open their World Cup campaign against Australia, with striker Kylian Mbappe limping out of training with an ankle injury after a heavy tackle by defender Adil Rami.
Didier Deschamps’s squad were taking part in an open training session at the Glebovets Stadium in Istra when Paris St-germain striker Mbappe went down following a challenge from Rami.
Mbappe, 19, was pictured laying on the floor holding his left ankle before then being helped up by staff, including assistant coach Guy Stephan.
The French Football Federation, which had broadcast the training session on Youtube, gave no immediate further details relating to the injury.
However, Mbappe later took to Twitter in an attempt to play it down, saying: “I’m fine, it’s just a knock so it doesn’t matter but thank you for your messages. And leave my friend @Rami13officiel [alone], it wasn’t nasty!”
Meanwhile, Mbappe’s international team-mate Thomas Lemar is set to join Atletico Madrid after the Spanish side announced they had reached an agreement with Monaco to sign the 22-year-old.
Lemar was wanted by both Liverpool and Arsenal last summer, with Jurgen Klopp’s side linked with another attempt this summer. But Atletico have stolen a march on the Premier League sides, announcing the deal on their website.
“Atletico de Madrid and AS Monaco have achieved a preliminary agreement over the transfer of Thomas Lemar to our club,” Atletico said in a statement. “Over the next days, both clubs will work to close the agreement for the definitive transfer.”
It remains to be seen whether Lemar will be playing alongside Antoine Griezmann at his new club after the Frenchman said he had decided on his future – but was not yet ready to announce whether he would be staying at Atletico or moving to Barcelona.
“The decision has been taken but it is not the time or the place to talk about it,” said Griezmann, who had previously promised he would decide his future before the start of the World Cup.
“I am very sorry, I know you have all been waiting but I will not give my decision today.”