A 15 million punt that never got going
Bayer Leverkusen went big. In the summer of 2024 the German champions paid 15 million euros to prise Jeanuel Belocian away from Rennes. The centre-back was 19 and had a handful of Ligue 1 games behind him.
Two years on, the story fits into very few lines. A serious injury stopped him almost as soon as he landed in the Rhineland. The comeback took forever. Leverkusen then sent him to Wolfsburg on loan last season, where he managed 16 appearances.
He is 21 now. He still has not put together a full season at the top level.
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Santander instead of Lens
A return to France looked like the obvious next step. Lens were tracking the situation closely and wanted defensive cover in the closing hours of the window, and Foot Mercato had the Abymes-born defender on their radar.
Then the trail went cold in one direction and opened up in another. According to the same French outlet, backed by Spanish and German reports, the former France youth international is close to joining Racing Santander. The two clubs are finalising the last details of a one-season loan.
Unexpected, yes. Logical too. Belocian is not chasing headlines any more. He wants minutes.
Clubs keep paying earlier, and keep finding out
The Belocian file is a familiar one. European clubs buy raw potential younger every summer, then discover how big the step up really is. Leverkusen signed him straight off an unbeaten Bundesliga season, a level of dominance that left almost no room for a 19-year-old still learning the job.
Two years in, one loan done and another about to start, the question has not moved. Santander is a test, not a finish line.
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