Lacazette replaces Ntep in France squad

France coach Didier Deschamps has opted to add Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette to his squad for the friendlies against Armenia and Denmark after Paul-Georges Ntep was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Ntep sustained a hamstring problem in Rennes' 1-1 Ligue 1 draw with Monaco on Sunday and has consequently been forced to pull out of the squad for the games on Thursday and Sunday.

Lacazette was initially left out the squad following his difficult start to the 2015-16 campaign, but has now received an invitation to join the team after all.

The 24-year-old beat Andre-Pierre Gignac and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Ligue 1 top scorer title last term with 27 goals in 33 appearances.

He has failed to replicate that form in the opening stages of this season, though, and has netted just twice in 10 outings in all competitions.

Lacazette missed a penalty in the weekend's 1-0 victory over Reims, but did claim the winner three minutes later.

The forward faces competition from Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Anthony Martial for a starting berth in the upcoming games in Nice and Copenhagen.