Steve Mandanda started Jorge Sampaoli's second match on the Stade Rennais bench on Saturday afternoon, during the victory against ASSE. But the former OM goalkeeper is in the hot seat.
Two years ago, Jorge Sampaoli caused the departure of Steve Mandanda at Olympique de Marseille by relegating the 2018 world champion to the bench. The Argentine coach believed that the 39-year-old goalkeeper was out of step with what he was looking for the position of goalkeeper and had installed Pau Lopez in the Marseille cages, a questionable choice because the Spaniard has never really been unanimous in the Marseille city. Now, Steve Mandanda and Jorge Sampaoli find themselves in Rennes.
In a context where the Breton club is in crisis, the 64-year-old technician relied on his experienced captain, who started in Lille and against Saint-Etienne. But in the longer term, Jorge Sampaoli does not really see the future with the goalkeeper trained in Le Havre if we rely on the information from Mohamed Toubache-Ter, who revealed on his X account that Stade Rennais was actively looking for a new goalkeeper. “Stade Rennais is carefully observing the goalkeeper market for next summer. For this winter, the club is looking for a strong attacker and an experienced central defender. Sampaoli also wants a 6 creator! Gerson? » published the transfer window specialist on his X account.
Sampaoli in favor of a change of goalkeeper next summer
Suffice to say that if Steve Mandanda is not threatened in the very short term, the former Marseille goalkeeper could find himself challenged again next summer. At the end of his contract next June, the native of Kinshasa has little chance of being offered a contract extension. In any case, it is not Jorge Sampaoli who will push in this direction? It now remains to be seen if in the next six months, the man with 35 caps with the French team will manage to change the mind of his volcanic Argentinian coach.
