PARIS: Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette was called up to the France squad for friendlies against Armenia and Denmark as an injury replacement for Paul-Georges Ntep, the French Football Federation announced.

Lacazette, the Ligue 1 Player of the Year last season, has endured a difficult start to this campaign and was left out of Didier Deschamps’ plans in September before initially being overlooked again last week.

The 24-year-old has netted just twice this season but returns to the France set-up in place of Rennes winger Ntep, who was stretchered off with a hamstring injury in a 1-1 draw at Monaco at the weekend.