The soap opera concerning the non-qualification of Jules Koundé (23 years old), poached by FC Barcelona from Sevilla FC for 50 M € and five years on July 29, could bring happiness by ricochet to Hamari Traoré (30 years old). A wind of panic has indeed blown through the offices of the Blaugrana club in recent days. To the point that Barça leaders have been looking for an additional right axial / right side, capable of strengthening this position held by Ronald Araujo, since the start of the season.
When the name of the captain of Stade Rennais was whispered to them, he caught their attention. The Malian international (43 caps, 1 goal) ticks a lot of boxes. Given that he only has one year left on his contract in Brittany, his transfer fee should be around €3m. Unlike Koundé (11 caps), Traoré’s qualification for the Spanish League should therefore not be a problem.
Rennes would welcome this departure
The case also looks all the more feasible as after five years of good and loyal service in Brittany, Traoré has a good exit from its leaders. The latter would welcome the possibility of collecting money for a player bought for € 2.5 million in 2017, and who will be free to sign with the club of his choice from January 1. In addition, by separating from his captain, the last 4th in Ligue 1 would be offloading one of his biggest salaries, which is estimated at €2 million gross annually.
Finally, Rennes already has its successor in the right lane. This is Lorenz Assignon (22 years old, under contract until June 30, 2025). Despite his promising talent, the Franco-Togolese does not yet have a lot of professional experience (26 matches with Rennes, including 20 in Ligue 1, plus 13 in National, during his loan to Bastia, from January to June 2021 ). If Traoré’s departure to Spain is confirmed, Rennes could reopen the file of Fabien Centonze (26), under contract with FC Metz (L2) until 2024.
An offer could be made within 48 hours
In any case, Rennes should therefore not oppose the departure to Catalonia of its player, who is delighted to be able to evolve there. After having been rejected this summer by Marseille in particular, the Malian had resigned himself to the idea of leaving to finish his career in the Emirates or in another second-class Championship. He could therefore end up finally with the Blaugrana jersey on his back.
While no final agreement has yet been reached, discussions are continuing at this time. They could lead to a concrete offer within forty-eight hours. The qualification, finally, of Koundé, expected in the next few hours, should not constitute an obstacle to the arrival of Hamari Traoré.
