Karim Benzema has told TF1 he hopes to be able to play again for France, despite the ongoing police investigation that saw him excluded from Les Bleus' Euro 2016 squad.
Benzema, 28, has not played for his country since Oct. 2015 after which it emerged the Real Madrid striker was part of an alleged attempted extortion of his international teammate, Mathieu Valbuena.
Both he and Valbuena, previously mainstays of Didier Deschamps' line-up, missed the European Championship as a consequence of the investigation.
Benzema, who denies any wrongdoing, said he still hopes to add to the 81 caps he has previously earned.
"The national team coach has said I'm available for selection now," the forward, who has scored two goals in five La Liga games for Madrid this term, said. "I am doing my work with my club. Everyone waits to get called up.
"I'm a footballer, I love the France team so of course I'm going to wait. You play football for that. I play at Real Madrid, at a great club. And I love my country. There's a national team coach. He makes choices. In any case, I'm ready."
In an interview published in Marca prior to the Euros, Benzema claimed Deschamps had "given in to the pressure of a racist group in France" by leaving him out of the squad.
"I only make sporting choices, which are based on different criteria," Deschamps retorted to TF1, adding he was not irritated by Benzema's comments.
"I don't ask for anything. Everyone is free to do what they want, to say what they want. And me, I have the freedom to be able to choose."
"Why not?" he added when it was suggested Benzema could again play for Les Bleus. "There is no definitive situation. It's happened to other players. You thought they wouldn't come back and they did. I'm not making Karim a special case, quite the opposite."
Despite Deschamps' hopes of recalling the former Lyon striker may be somewhat tied by the French Football Federation (FFF).
"It's still not the right time," FFF president Noel Le Graet said when asked about the timing of Benzema's return to the international stage. "There is still that little matter ongoing, which will come to an end one day.
"Personally, I like him. He's never caused a problem in the squad. But I think that this matter has to be completely cleared up. If he comes back, I don't want people asking him questions on the case at the first squad meet-up."