Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 9y

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa named in France squad

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has been called up to the France squad after showing impressive form on loan at Roma.

Newcastle United outcast Yanga-Mbiwa, 25, failed to shine in 37 Premier League appearances for after joining them with high expectations from Montpellier in January 2013, but was named in Didier Deschamps' squad for the upcoming friendlies with Albania and Sweden when it was announced on Thursday.

Surplus to requirements at St. James's Park, the defender, who already had three caps to his name, was loaned to Roma where he has even featured in the Champions League for the Giallorossi.

Yanga-Mbiwa owes his recall in part to the injuries to Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, Barcelona man Jeremy Mathieu and Mamadou Sakho of Liverpool, and is joined by fellow centre-back Saint-Etienne captain Loic Perrin, who was one of France boss Didier Deschamps back-up choices for last summer's World Cup.

In-form Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who has a joint-league-high ten goals this season, was also included along with Sevilla full-back Benoit Tremoulinas, who fills in for the injured Patrice Evra.

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Benoit Costil (Rennes)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (PSG), Christophe Jallet (Lyon), Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City), Bacary Sagna (Manchester City), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Roma), Benoit Tremoulinas (Sevilla), Loic Perrin (Saint-Etienne)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (PSG), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Josuha Guilavogui (Wolfsburg)

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Marseille), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Dimitri Payet (Marseille), Mathieu Valbuena (Dynamo Moscow), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)

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