The injury picked up by Raphael Varane at Stamford Bridge on Saturday could keep him out of the World Cup and William Saliba is apparently one of three replacements France would consider.

As Raphael Varane walked off the pitch at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, he couldn’t stop himself from crying.

Burying his head in his shirt so the cameras could not see, it was clear that Varane thought the injury he had picked up was serious enough to be a threat to his World Cup hopes with the tournament starting next month.

Speaking after the match, Erik Ten Hag told reporters, “It is difficult to say how it is now because it is so soon after the game.

“We have to wait 24 hours and then we will know what it is.

“I can understand, we can all probably understand he would be emotional [if he is out of the World Cup], but I think he also has to wait.

“You don’t know [how bad it is]. Of course he is experienced, but [the] medical [staff] have to do their job, have to make the assessment and set the right diagnosis, and then from there on can come a conclusion.”

Varane’s reaction has already started the French press reporting on who would be called into the squad to replace him.

L’Equipe, via GFFN, “report that Barcelona’s Jules Koundé, Arsenal’s William Saliba, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté, and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano are in line to make the French squad for the 2022 World Cup as a replacement for Manchester United defender Raphaël Varane.”

It is believed that from that trio, Koundé is the favourite to be called up if needed, but Saliba getting the call would not be a surprise given how he has performed in the Premier League this season.

Saliba, 21, has seven caps for France while Koundé, 23, has 12.