Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele has been sidelined for a number of weeks with a calf issue
Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele’s untimely injury blow may have a negative impact on his prospects of forcing his way into France’s World Cup squad this summer, according to reports back in his home country.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in the Premier League, establishing himself as a vital component in Regis Le Bris’ backline at the Stadium of Light, whether operating as a right-back or in the heart of defence.
In recent weeks, however, he has been forced to settle for a watching brief as he continues his comeback from an ongoing calf complaint. Mukiele has not featured for the Black Cats since February’s 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Fulham, and is now facing a race against time to be fit enough to feature in Sunday’s upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby clash against Newcastle United.
Addressing his summer signing’s current situation in a press conference over the weekend, Sunderland head coach Le Bris explained: “Nordi is getting better, we'll see for next week. It's always the same: you can take the risk, he might play against Newcastle, but if we lose him for eight weeks after, it doesn't make sense. We are always on the edge so we'll try to manage the situation properly.”
But according to a fresh update from L’Equipe, Mukiele’s injury may also have an impact on his hopes of featuring for France in the near future. As outlined by the continental publication, Didier Deschamps is currently facing something of a selection headache at full-back. Barcelona star Jules Kounde is his preferred option, but will not be fit for this month’s international break, and as such, Mukiele could have been in with a chance of earning a first call-up since 2021, were it not for his own injury absence.
As a consequence, Juventus talent Pierre Kalulu could be included in Deschamps’ squad for France’s double-header of friendlies against Brazil and Colombia over the coming weeks. It is noted, however, that with OGC Nice veteran Jonathan Clauss seemingly out of the picture, Mukiele may still be in with a chance of securing a place in Les Bleus’ travelling party for this summer’s North American World Cup should other players suffer setbacks, but with the tournament rapidly approaching, missing out on an opportunity to impress Deschamps this time around will likely have done little to aid his cause.
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What else has been said about Nordi Mukiele’s international hopes?
This is not the first time that Mukiele’s international hopes have been discussed in recent months. Speaking exclusively to The Echo back in October, French journalist Pierre-Etienne Minonzio explained why the Sunderland star’s chances of forcing his way back into the national team remain comparatively slim.
He said: “The one [French Sunderland player] who will have the most chance, maybe, is Mukiele. But in the end of the day, there’s a lot of competition as well. So if you want, let’s think Mukiele, maybe the easiest, the slightest chance for him will be to play right-back. But he’s not often playing right back with Sunderland, so it’s not good.”
The French journalist pointed to the depth of talent available to Deschamps, particularly in the defensive areas. “At right back in France, you have Kounde at Barcelona – very, very good. And then you have the one from Chelsea, [Malo] Gusto, who is good as well. And the problem as well is the fact that he’s not a real right-back, Mukiele. He’s a centre-back who often plays right-back.”
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