Senegal have dropped goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and their friendly against five-time world champions Brazil.
Mendy, former winner of Fifa’s best goalkeeper award and first choice at the World Cup in Qatar late last year, missed the country’s last two internationals against Mozambique in March through injury but failed to get back into the Chelsea starting lineup after his return from treatment and his lack of playing time has seen him now dropped by coach Aliou Cisse.
But regulars Abdou Diallo, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Ismaila Sarr are all back after missing out in March because of injury while Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson returns after being left out against the Mozambicans.
There is also a first call-up for winger Pape Ousmane Sakho, who plays for Simba in Tanzania.
Missing through injury are strikers Boulaye Dia and Bamba Dieng plus the uncapped defender Noah Fadiga, who was on the bench in March
Defending champions Senegal have already qualified for the next Africa Cup of Nations finals with two games to play. Their clash in Cotonou on 17 June is their penultimate group L game, after which they take on the Brazilians in Lisbon on 20 June.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Clermont Foot, France), Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers, England), Alfred Gomis (Como, Italy)
Defenders: Fode Ballo Toure (AC Milan), Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig, Germany), Ismail Jakobs (Monaco, France), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea, England), Formose Mendy (Amiens, France), Abdallah Ndour (Sochaux, France), Moussa Niakhate (Nottingham Forest, England), Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis, Spain), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa, Israel)
Midfielders: Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Krepin Diatta (Monaco, France), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton, England), Pape Gueye (Sevilla, Spain), Cheikhou Kouyate (Nottingham Forest, England), Dion Lopy (Stade Reims, France), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City, England), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
Forwards: Habib Diallo (Racing Strasbourg, France), Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal, Spain), Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich, Germany), Ilimane Ndiaye (Sheffield United, England), Pape Ousmane Sakho (Simba, Tanzania), Ismaila Sarr (Watford, England).