Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has confirmed that the national team is attempting to convince Olympique de Marseille forward Robinio Vaz (18) to represent the country at senior level. Earlier this week, Mamadou Sarr (20) and Ibrahim Mbaye (17) received their first international call-ups for Senegal. Both players had previously been part of France’s U20 setup — Sarr currently on loan at Strasbourg from Chelsea, and Mbaye a product of the PSG academy. Vaz is now the next name on Senegal’s radar. The teenager has broken into OM’s first team this season and has made an immediate impact, scoring four goals in his first 10 Ligue 1 appearances. His performances have not gone unnoticed by Senegal’s staff, who are pushing to bring him into the senior program despite his involvement with France’s U20 side. Speaking in a press conference, Thiaw confirmed ongoing discussions: “There is interest at the national level. I have built a relationship with his family. Talks are taking place. We will see how things develop.” Whether Vaz will follow Sarr and Mbaye in switching allegiances remains to be seen.
