Thierry Henry responds to Chelsea blocking two players for France’s Olympics squad

Thierry Henry admits he was rejected by several clubs when putting together France’s Olympics squad (AFP via Getty)

Thierry Henry insists he is not surprised by Chelsea’s refusal to release Malo Gusto or Benoit Badiashile for France’s Olympics campaign this summer.

Henry, who is the coach of France’s Under-23s, announced his provisional 25-man squad for the Olympics on Monday, which will then be cut to 18 players by July 3.

The former Arsenal and Barcelona striker admits he’s faced multiple problems with his squad selection as several Premier League clubs have refused to release their players for the tournament.

But because the football event at the Olympics is not formally recognised by FIFA, clubs are not obliged to release their players for the competition this summer.

Henry’s squad will get together in Clairefontaine on June 16, while France will kick off their Olympics group stage against the United States on July 24, before playing Guinea on July 27 and New Zealand on July 30.

‘You have to know that it’s not easy to find yourself in a situation where you have to go and ask a certain club for permission to be able to take their players when you actually can’t ask for anything since they are within their right not to send since it’s not a FIFA date. When it’s already a FIFA date it’s hard, so there you go, we’re trying to find ways to have certain players and believe me it’s not easy,’ Henry said after unveiling his provisional squad.

Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu has made France’s provisional squad (Shutterstock)

Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel is a surprise inclusion in France’s squad, while Chelsea have decided to release 20-year-old midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, a €27 million (£23.2m) signing from Rennes last summer who made 12 Premier League appearances this season.

When asked if he had to convince Bayern or Tel, Henry said: ‘The club, yes.

‘As you can see, Chelsea just left me Ugochukwu, so there is Ugochukwu, that’s all. The club have the power, they [Bayern] gave me the possibility for Mathys Tel, so he is here. I know it seems quite simple, quite cold, but that’s exactly what happened.’

When asked why Chelsea have released Ugochukwu but not Gusto, Henry replied: ‘Ask them. I was told, ‘no’.

‘I don’t know if you’ve ever been to speak to someone when you know that you can’t argue.

‘You’re asking me questions but Chelsea are not me, so I asked questions about players, I was told, ‘no, it’s not possible, you can have Ugochukwu’, I know it’s not me who said that, that’s what happened, I can’t direct you on the why and how and I understand a little more the level of difficulty if a player ends up at the Euros because doing both is not easy.’

Michael Olise could represent France at the Olympics this summer (Shutterstock)

Asked if he is disappointed by the decisions made by Premier League clubs, Henry replied: ‘I will respond to this one very, very clearly – it’s not the time for me to talk about that, firstly.

‘Secondly, am I disappointed or surprised? No. Neither disappointed or surprised, the clubs are within their rights, unfortunately, and I think what I have been saying hasn’t changed since I started taking about the Olympics. We knew very well that we were going to be confronted by this, you’re waiting for a response hoping but at a given moment if you give the possibility to a club they are within their rights to say, ‘no’. It becomes difficult, so am I disappointed, surprised? No, I expected it.’

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Henry also made it clear that there was little chance of including Kylian Mbappe, who is set to complete his move to Real Madrid this week.

‘No, you don’t close the door to anyone, that’s clear, after the discussions, in fact there is no discussion, it’s precisely you come, you ask, you are told ‘no’, and you leave,’ Henry said.

‘The last time I had this many rejections I was in college.

‘The people I spoke with were very direct.’

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