West Ham might have released Leeds to make a record £34m signing

Instead, he came closest to a place in Deschamps’ provisional squad; Dropped out of the final selection alongside Rennes teammate Benjamin Bourigeaud.

Now there is no doubt that Terrier has had a more successful season at club level than, say, Antoine Griezmann. But as for Deschamps, a proven track record on the international stage is his trump card.

If you’ve ever wondered why Moussa Sissoko had an amazing 71 caps for one of Europe’s greatest nations, wonder no more.

Does Martin Terrier need a fresh start in the Premier League?

So Leeds United and West Ham’s interest in Terrier should give the former Lyon youngster pause. Rennes boss Olivier Cloarec insisted a few weeks ago that the late-blooming 25-year-old wanted to remain at Roazhon Park for the time being.

But Terrier will know deep down that a move to the Premier League could be his best hope of twisting Deschamps’ arm ahead of the World Cup in Qatar (L’Equipe).

“He’s a complete player,” Rennes teammate Gaetan Laborde said of Terrier.

Whether it’s beating home long-distance curlers, smashing in from the angle or completing a cool one-on-one, there seems to be no finish Terrier hasn’t mastered during this extraordinary 2021-22 season. However, according to Laborde, there is far more to the one-off Everton goal than putting the ball in the back of the net.

“His outstanding qualities are his passing and free-kicks,” adds Laborde. “He defends, he can play left, right or in the middle of the park. He drives a lot, he has a great engine, he’s smart and he’s gifted. That’s a lot of qualities.

“You rarely have a player like that.”

A “rare” talent

Rennes’ £34m price tag means Leeds would have to part with a record transfer fee from the club. With the Yorkshire giants ready to meet Club Brugge demands for another striker without a goal – Charles de Ketelaere – it seems unlikely Andrea Radrizzani will join the club for a £30m-plus fee hill runs.

With West Ham getting closer to their number one target, Leeds appear to have something of a run for their money at Terrier.

BBC Sport claim Armando Broja is flying home from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of America. He will have talks with the Hammers this week. And Terrier shares more than enough similarities with the athletic, versatile Broja to suggest West Ham are a thing or two.

Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool were both linked in May. However, Liverpool have since signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica while Richarlison has traded Everton for north London. Cleared two more obstacles.

Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford and Raphinha all became internationals at Elland Road. Something Terrier probably won’t overlook as he tries to make sure Deschamps can no longer ignore him.

In other news: ‘He’ll score goals’: Tony Cascarino can’t see Aston Villa & Everton leaving the target