Rennes defender Joris Gnagnon discussed the possibility of signing for Chelsea and Manchester United – but not Spurs.
Joris Gnagnon is a man in demand. After a superb breakthrough season in Ligue 1, it looks as if Rennes will have to get used to speculation swirling around the 20-year-old centre-back.
France has produced some of Europe’s most talented young defenders in recent years and it’s a credit to Gnagnon that he can now be mentioned in the same breath as Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Kurt Zouma and Aymeric Laporte.
Yet, this is a player with his head firmly screwed on. He even admitted that he rejected the chance to sign for Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund in the summer due to concerns over a potential lack of playing time, as reported by The Sun.
Though the Sunday People (24th September, page 47) report that this has not prevented another Premier League giant, Tottenham Hotspur, plotting a swoop for a defender valued at around £14 million.
Yet, when discussing the prospect of making the move to England, Spurs fans may be concerned that Gnagnon was eager to name-check two clubs fighting them at the top of the Premier League.
“I really like Chelsea as they had a really famous Ivorian player who played there in Didier Drogba. They are a prestigious club,” Gnagnon, who was handed his first senior Ivory Coast call-up in May, told Foot Mercato. “I really like Chelsea and also Manchester United. They are the two clubs that I like the most [in England].”
Spurs, then, may already be up against it if they want to convince Gnagnon that North London would be the best environment to develop his potential.
While Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho have both been criticised for not giving young players an opportunity over the years, the same accusation cannot be levelled at their Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino.
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