Stade Rennais sporting director Loïc Désiré has laid out an audacious roadmap for the 2025-26 season, targeting a top-five Ligue 1 finish and a deep Europa League run while prioritising the retention of two of the club’s most promising academy graduates. Speaking to reporters before a short summer break, Désiré reflected on a campaign that he rated “7 out of 10” after Rennes secured sixth place and a return to continental competition under coach Franck Haise. The focus now shifts to building a squad capable of thriving on multiple fronts.
Central to that vision are contract extensions for young duo Esteban Lepaul and Jean-Armel Aït-Boudlal, both academy products who have begun to establish themselves in the first-team setup. “We want to extend Lepaul and Aït-Boudlal,” Désiré confirmed, underlining the club’s desire to lock down their futures. For a side celebrated for developing talents like Ousmane Dembélé, Eduardo Camavinga, and Désiré Doué, retaining the next generation is not just a sentimental move but a strategic imperative. Tying down the pair would send a strong signal that Rennes’ pathway from youth to senior football remains a cornerstone of the project.
Aït-Boudlal, a commanding young central defender, has been tipped for a bright future, while Lepaul has shown glimpses of his attacking flair. Their development is seen as critical to the squad’s evolution, with Désiré praising the “group of responsible players” who formed a tight unit last season. However, the director cautioned that the academy cannot consistently supply two starters every six months, meaning patience and smart external recruitment are also needed.
One such external addition has already arrived: versatile midfielder Adrien Thomasson joins on a free transfer from RC Lens, signing a deal through 2029. Désiré described the 31-year-old as a “calibrated player” ready to compete on European and domestic stages. Thomasson’s experience and ability to play multiple roles will be invaluable as Rennes navigate the expanded Europa League format and aim to improve on a sixth-place finish that felt solid but not spectacular.
Tactically, Rennes are set for a structural shift. After a season spent largely in a 5-3-2 system, Haise will revert to a back four – a setup Désiré says “corresponds more to the culture of the club.” The change was not possible last summer when the squad was trimmed and reshaped in response to a relegation battle the year before. Now, with greater stability, Haise wants to “better value possession and the play in the final 30-40 metres,” while also tightening a defence that conceded too many avoidable goals.
Désiré didn’t shy away from the defensive frailties that undermined Rennes at times. “We want to be more solid because we took a few too many goals,” he admitted. The move to a back four is intended to provide greater control without sacrificing the attacking intensity that supporters crave. The coach will have room for “variations in the animation” depending on the opponent, blending Haise’s tactical flexibility with Rennes’ traditional identity.
To cope with the demands of two major competitions, Désiré outlined a numerical target: the senior outfield group must grow from 18 to 20 players. “We had 18 outfield players capable of evolving in Ligue 1. Now we need to get to 20 to exist in the Europa League,” he explained. The hope is that the academy yields “good surprises,” but the club is ready to act in the transfer market to ensure depth without compromising quality.
Competition in Ligue 1 will be fierce. Désiré noted that eight or nine clubs harbour similar ambitions, including promoted Paris FC, who possess significant financial backing. The Europa League, meanwhile, looms as a challenge in its own right, with a league phase likely to feature several clubs equipped for the Champions League. “We know the tableau risks being quite hard,” Désiré conceded. “But we want to continue to progress and rival the best.” Getting out of the group stage is the clear objective.
Beyond the numbers and systems, Désiré’s words painted a picture of a club still healing from recent turbulence. Two years ago, Rennes flirted with relegation before a late revival. The arrival of Haise and a more measured sporting approach have restored calm, and the 7/10 season rating reflects a job well done but incomplete. “We’ve put the club back on the European rails,” Désiré summed up. “Even if we could have done better, the objective was reached.”
What emerges is a Rennes side in transition but with a clear direction. Keeping hold of Lepaul and Aït-Boudlal would solidify the sense that this project is built to last, while the Thomasson signing adds immediate reliability. Haise’s tactical evolution suggests a team ready to marry defensive rigour with the creative flair long associated with the Stade de la Route de Lorient. The summer ahead will test Désiré’s ability to fine-tune a squad that, as he admits, still lacks the depth to genuinely compete on two fronts.
If Rennes can secure those key extensions, add one or two more shrewd signings, and bed in the new system during pre-season, they could return as a more formidable European force. The path is mapped: top five in Ligue 1, Europa League knockout football, and a style of play that resonates with the fanbase. Whether they achieve it will depend on execution, but the blueprint from the sporting director’s desk is both ambitious and coherent.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
