Nice captain Didier Digard has insisted that the club's recent upturn in fortunes can help him grab the attention of France coach Didier Deschamps.

Digard helped Nice finish fourth in Ligue 1 last season, earning a place in the Europa League as a result.

The former Middlesbrough midfielder now believes that he can use the stability found under manager Claude Puel at Nice to force his way into the full Les Blues squad.

He told Ligue 1's official website: "Getting the call used to be a dream for me, but now it's an objective. At one time, France had the best defensive midfielders in the world. Now, when I look around me, I don't see anyone who has proven that they are largely better than I am.

"Others have had their chance I hope that I can have mine. Frankly, I feel like I'm in the mix. When I arrived here from Middlesbrough in January 2010, I thought I would play for six months and then leave again. But something powerful happened.

"I discovered a city and a region that supports the club completely; a club filled with committed people, and with a familial atmosphere where trust is the order of the day. Those things are rare."

The 27-year-old old committed his future to Nice last week, turning down an offer from an unnamed Champions League club to sign a two-year contract extension with Puel's side.