Marcos Senesi called up to Argentina squad to replace injured Balerdi

Defender Marcos Senesi, who is expected to join Tottenham, has been included in Argentina's final World Cup squad, replacing the injured Leonardo Balerdi. The versatile center-back has traveled to the training camp in the USA to join Lionel Messi and his teammates. This is reported by Goal.com .

Due to a serious muscle injury to his right leg suffered during training, head coach Lionel Scaloni was forced to make unexpected changes to his tournament plans. After reviewing tactical options following the friendly match against Iceland, the coach settled on Senesi. The player is currently en route to the camp in Kansas City.

The Argentina national team press office issued an official statement regarding Balerdi's condition: "Defender Leonardo Balerdi has suffered a soleus muscle injury in his right leg and will not be able to participate in the World Cup." Lionel Scaloni noted that he identified the team's shortcomings after the test match and did not rush in selecting a replacement.

The last 24 hours have been eventful for 29-year-old Marcos Senesi. Having previously rejected an offer from the Italian national team, the player had agreed to join Tottenham as a free agent starting July 1st. Now, he will strengthen the Albiceleste defensive line alongside his future club teammate, Cristian Romero.

The Argentina national team is undergoing the final stage of preparation ahead of their first match against Algeria next week. In Group G, Scaloni's side will also face Austria and Jordan. The newly formed defensive pair will need to quickly find chemistry to ensure a successful start to the tournament.