France boss Didier Deschamps has sent a warning to Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud over his lack of game time this season with the Blues.
The 34-year-old forward has played just six times for Frank Lampard's side in 2020/21 with only two of those appearances coming in the Premier League.
Giroud has also found it difficult on the international scene and got just 12 minutes for the French in their 1-0 win over Portugal in the Nations League on Saturday night.
Deschamps has opted to start with Manchester United forward Anthony Martial over the more experienced Giroud for the 2018 World Cup winners.
And the former Juventus midfielder says Giroud needs to be playing more to boost his prospects of featuring more for France ahead of next summer's rescheduled European Championships.
"I make the choices that seem best to me for the France team," said Deschamps following the win over Portugal as reported by The Metro.
"With Anthony [Martial] who is a good player, it allows us to have a little more depth.
“Compared to Olivier, he has to be impacted. First of all with the situation he has at [Chelsea], knowing that he has a large frame and that he needs rhythm, it’s hard.
"That’s not why I want to lose him [because] it’s complicated and we’ll talk.
"But obviously he has every interest in it not lasting, for him, to remain competitive, but we must not forget what he did with us and what he is still able to do.
"Anthony has a different profile but one that gives options. Anthony, today, is more fulfilled and in better physical and psychological conditions, obviously."
Giroud is considering his future in west London with his Chelsea contract running out next summer.
The former Arsenal striker has played just 33 minutes in the league this season for the Blues.
Lampard has instead preferred to play players such as Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham in attack instead of Giroud.
Chelsea return to action in the Premier League this weekend with a trip to Newcastle United for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off (12.30pm).
It's the start of a busy festive period for Lampard's side who go into this block of games in fifth position in the league standings having won four of their eight matches so far.
