Six goals in 43 games at Marseille, and Ligue 1 wants another look
Rennes need a centre-forward. Breel Embolo is gone.
The Swiss striker lasted a single season in Brittany before joining Atlanta United in Major League Soccer for upwards of 15 million euros. That leaves a hole at the top of the attack and only days of the window left to fill it.
Sportmediaset reports the Rennes hierarchy have turned their attention to Genoa. Vitinha, the Portuguese forward there, is said to be firmly on their list. The Italian outlet adds that he could leave Serie A before deadline day and that other Ligue 1 clubs are watching, without naming any of them.
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The 32 million that never worked at Marseille
French football already has an opinion on this player. In January 2023, Olympique de Marseille spent around 32 million euros to take him from Braga. Nobody in the club’s history had cost more.
Six goals in 43 appearances across all competitions followed. Vitinha later spoke openly about how hard that period was mentally, with the fee following him everywhere, a slow start on the Canebiere, and problems away from football on top of it.
Italy gave him somewhere quieter to rebuild. Five goals and two assists in 34 Serie A games last season at Genoa. Modest numbers, but he is 26 and he already knows what Ligue 1 asks of a striker.
Lepaul cannot do it alone for 34 rounds
Replacing Embolo is only half of it. Rennes also want a second option behind Esteban Lepaul, who finished last season as Ligue 1’s leading scorer and cannot be asked to shoulder a whole campaign by himself.
Nothing is advanced. No talks confirmed, no fee discussed. The interest is real enough in Brittany, and the deadline is close enough to force a decision either way.
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