Southampton defender Romain Perraud has warned France to be wary of Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson, who he says can be deceiving in his style of play.
Wilson is a part of Gareth Southgate’s squad in Qatar for the World Cup, having beaten Ivan Toney to a place in the group after scoring six and assisting two in 11 games in the Premier League this season.
He is very much the back up striker to Harry Kane in England’s squad but has played that role well so far, even bagging an assist in the 6-2 win over Iran.
He is likely to be sat on the bench again for tonight’s clash with France, in which Harry Kane will lead the line once again as the undisputed starter.
There is every chance he could make it off the bench, though, with Southgate having handed him 14 minutes against Iran and 33 when England were comfortable against Wales.
That’s something France should be aware of according to Southampton’s Perraud, who says the Newcastle star can be deceiving in the way he plays.
“He has a completely different profile from the other English strikers,” he told L’Equipe.
“He’s a real threat to defences because he’s very strong in duels, with the ability to keep the ball with his back to the game.
“In a way, he is the classic English striker, with a strong physical dimension in his game. He has a “target man” side as we say in England.
“But beware, if Wilson can give the impression of being a clumsy player, in reality he is quick, precise, intelligent in his movements and can take the ball deep.”
