France face Germany in the Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday, with boss Didier Deschamps ready to take drastic action as Chelsea pursue one of his key players
STUTTGART, GERMANY - JUNE 07: Didier Deschamps, head coach of France reacts during Training Session and Press Conference at Stadium Stuttgart on June 07, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Didier Deschamps has threatened to bench goalkeeper Mike Maignan for France's Nations League clash with Germany
(Image: Christian Kaspar-Bartke - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
France head coach Didier Deschamps has threatened to drop Mike Maignan from his team for Sunday's Nations League game against Germany. Les Bleus will face the hosts in a third-place play-off.
They lost a thrilling semi-final 5-4 to Spain on Thursday night, with Maignan starting between the sticks. He has emerged as France's first-choice keeper since Hugo Lloris retired after the 2022 World Cup.
Maignan has impressed at club level as well, winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille in 2021 which earned him a move to AC Milan. The 29-year-old helped the Rossoneri to win the Serie A title in his first year at the club.
He has since gone on to become captain of the Italian giants, but his future at the San Siro is in doubt. Chelsea have grown interested in signing the keeper as they look to replace David Sanchez.
The Blues saw an opening offer below £15million rejected this week, with Milan demanding a fee in the region of £25m. A final bid is expected to be made in the coming days, though first comes France's clash with Germany.
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Amid the speculation around his future, his form has suffered a downturn. And that has led Deschamps to suggest that he could drop Maignan in favour of the uncapped Lucas Chevalier or former Nottingham Forest star Brice Samba on Sunday.
"Changing goalkeepers? We'll see. We'll see how Mike is, how he feels. It's still possible. No decision has been made yet, it's been a while," Deschamps said ahead of the third-place play-off in Stuttgart.
"Obviously, that could also be the case regarding the goalkeeper position. Whether Mike needs a break or not... I don't have those details yet."
STUTTGART, GERMANY - JUNE 5: Goalkeeper Mike Maignan of France looks on during the UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinal match between Spain and France at Stuttgart Arena on June 5, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Maignan has become France's No.1 since Hugo Lloris' retirement and is the subject of interest from Chelsea
Thursday's defeat to Spain was a frustrating one, with France at one stage losing 4-0 before a late comeback. The loss raised the pressure on Deschamps after a difficult Euro 2024 campaign, and the boss has admitted that changes are coming for Sunday.
"I won't hide from you that the interest is still relative. This match is there, we're going to play it... It's Germany. It will be useful, but taking into account the very specific situation," he added.
"Is the match at stake minimal? You said so. Some players aren't in the best shape. We have too little time between the two matches. There will be a lot of changes. I work according to the players.
"Some have very interesting potential. They won't all be able to play. I've never deprived myself of attacking players. We had a lot of chances against Spain, but we also conceded five goals. It's a question of balance.
"They're mostly young players. I'm not going to complain about having a lot of attacking players. It needs confirmation. They won't all be able to play at the same time, but it's very interesting for me."
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