Chelsea star pulls out of international squad due to illness

Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has left the France Under-23s and returned to London after falling ill during the camp.

With a top-four finish out of reach for Mauricio Pochetino’s 11th-place Chelsea, attention will now turn to their domestic cup campaign.

The London club secured passage to the semi-finals of the FA Cup after a thrilling 4-2 win against Leicester City last weekend but will have to face Manchester City at the Etihad next.

Although they have been abysmal in the league, Pochettino’s young side has shown glimpses of real potential in cup competitions, narrowly missing out to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

One of their biggest standouts this season has been right back, Gusto, who has stepped in to fill the big shoes of captain Reece James, who has missed almost the entirety of the campaign through injury.

The French defender signed for the club in January last year for a reported £26.3 million, which seems like a bargain with every passing game.

But fans may be slightly concerned to see the 20-year-old leave the France Under-23 squad after coming down with a reported virus.

French outlet L’Equipe claimed that Gusto said his goodbyes to the rest of the camp after feeling unwell and returned to London.

With the right back key to Pochettino’s playing style, fans will hope that it is only a short-term issue with a clash with Burnley waiting on the horizon.