Kalou will miss the start of the Premier League season

Salomon Kalou will miss the start of the English Premier League season after being named in the Ivory Coast squad for next month's Olympic Games.

The Chelsea striker is the biggest name in coach Gerard Gili's final squad 18-man squad squad for Beijing.

The Ivory Coast launch their Group A campaign against Athens 2004 winners Argentina in Shanghai on 7 August.

Australia and Serbia are the other teams in the group.

The Olympic football tournament for men begins on 6 August and ends on 23 August.

Squad:

Coach: Gerard Gili

Goalkeepers:
Vincent de Paul Angban (Asec Mimosas), Christian Fabrice Okoua (Africa Sports)

Defenders:
Serges Wawa (Asec Mimosas), Ousmane Viera Diarrassouba (CFR Cluj, Romania), Souleymane Bamba (Dunfermline, Scotland), Angoua Brou Benjamin ( Budapest Honved, Hungary), Mamadou Bagayoko (Africa Sports), Mekeme Tamla Ladji (Beveren, Belgium)

Midfielders:
Herve Kambou (Charleroi, Belgium), Kafoumba Coulibaly (Nice, France), Emmanuel Kone (CFR Cluj), Anthony Moura-Komenan (Libourne-Saint-Seurin, France), Antoine N'Gossan (Asec Mimosas)

Forwards:
Salomon Kalou (Chelsea, England), Franck Dja Djedje (Grenoble, France), Guie Gneki Abraham (Budapest Honved), Gervais Yao Kouassi - Gervinho (Le Mans. France), Sekou Cisse ( Roda JC, Holland)