National coach Domenico Tedesco has added four debutants to the Red Devils squad for international matches against Italy and France. The coach plans to integrate newcomers into the core in the future.
With Cyril Ngonge (Naples), Matte Smets (RC Genk), Malick Fofana (Lyon) and goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt (RB Leipzig), four debutants were called up. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are absent and the first will not be part of the next international period either.
A duo in the making
Tedesco is therefore already looking towards the next international period, in November, where Italy and Israel will be expected on behalf of the League of Nations. The national coach has already proposed two names.
“It’s time to test these players. If we don’t do it now, we won’t do it in the important World Cup qualifying campaign either. We also follow Matteo Dams and Joaquin Seys. They will play with hopes.”
During this international period, it will first be the turn of KRC Genk defender Matte Smets. “Smets trained with us last month and we have obviously been following his performances in recent weeks at Genk. He’s been a little sick and lost a few pounds, but he’s on the right track. He is young and very talented and we want to see him with us for this short period,” explains the national coach in Het Laatste Nieuws.
Many defenders
Tedesco also called on an arsenal of defenders. With Arthur Theate, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Wout Faes, Zeno Debast, Koni De Winter and Matte Smets, the selection has no less than six central defenders. The team is clearly still looking for the right formula in defense following the retirement of Jan Vertonghen.
