Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal could miss out on Loic Bade with Rennes president Florian Maurice claiming the defender has his heart set on a move to the Ligue 1 outfit, speaking to Pleine Lucarne.
When that ‘new Raphael Varane’ nickname emerged midway through last season, you’d have been forgiven for shrugging it off, assuming a headline-grabbing moniker was the result of some lazy comparisons between two talented centre-halves who made their name at RC Lens.
But maybe, just maybe, Bade is the second coming of Real Madrid’s World Cup-winning superstar after all?
The 21-year-old has a long way to go before he can match Varane’s achievements at the top of the European game – but he’s certainly on his way.
Bade was the rock at the heart of a Lens side that went from Ligue 2 to seventh place in the French top flight in the space of 12 months, earning the admiration of clubs from all corners of the continent along the way.
Will Liverpool and Arsenal miss out on Bade?
On Monday, FootMercato reported Bade’s peerless performances had caught the eye of Newcastle United and Brighton.
Arsenal, Leeds and Liverpool are interested in Loic Bade too.
But it seems Rennes are in pole position, having agreed personal terms with the 6ft 3in central defender.
“We are in discussions (with Bade). He is a target that was identified very early on,” says Maurice. “He is a player we want to bring to Stade Rennais.
“Discussions between clubs can take a long time. I hope we get there. The player wants to come.”
Maurice insists a “greedy” Lens side are refusing to let Bade leave on the cheap – and why would they? It is understood only bids in the region of £22 million will be considered.
Interestingly, that is far more than Real Madrid paid for a teenage Varane all those years ago…
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