The French media broke the news that Ligue 1 powerhouse Rennes has quietly joined the ranks of the Beijing Guoan striker Bakambu. It is worth mentioning that the current coach of Rennes is the former head coach of Guoan, Genesio, which undoubtedly adds confidence for Rennes to sign the Democratic Republic of Congo star.
It is reported that whenever the transfer window opens, Bakambu's name will always be linked with major European giants clubs. With his contract with Guoan about to expire, Bakambu's soccer career looks set to return to Europe, and France seems to be his most preferred destination.
Undoubtedly, the chances of Bakambu renewing his contract with Guoan are slim to none. Once his contract expires, the former Sochaux player will leave the Chinese Super League as a free agent. Previously, Bakambu has attracted the attention of giants including Villarreal, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio and Roma, and now Rennes have joined the fray. Rennes FC have made inquiries about the possibility of Bakambu returning to Ligue 1.
There are two main motives for Rennes to bring in Bakambu: one is that the team's striker Niang is about to leave, and Rennes wants to bring in a power forward; the other is that the current head coach, Genesio, used to coach at Guoan and has a great relationship with Bakambu.
However, Bakambu's annual salary at Guoan is a whopping €18.5 million, far exceeding the average annual salary of a player in the Rennes squad.Bakambu, who joined Guoan in 2018 for €40 million, has so far appeared in 78 matches for the team, scoring 55 goals and contributing 21 assists. (Cheuk Oyu)
