Brazilian winger Raphinha, here in Stade Rennais colors during a French Cup match against Belfort in 2020. -

SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

  • The player recruited last summer joined Leeds in the last hours of the transfer window, causing the Rennes fans to misunderstand.

  • The management of the Breton club claims to have tried to make him stay.

  • According to the player's entourage, Raphinha would have been disappointed to see Rennes negotiating his departure at this price.

He narrowly missed an incredible return Sunday against Reims before planting a goal and an assist.

If he could not avoid the draw against Reims on Sunday, the Brazilian Raphinha will have made it a point of honor to treat his last outing in the Stade Rennais jersey.

To everyone's surprise, the one who was until Saturday the most expensive recruit of the Breton club took the direction of Leeds on Monday.

His love of left foot (and his right foot too) gave way to calls from the Premier League and coach Marcelo Bielsa, to the great misfortune of Rennes supporters.

The arrival of the nugget Jérémy Doku should have been the final event of the very long transfer window in Rennes.

On the last day of the transfer window, however, it was Raphinha's name that occupied the minds of Rouge et Noir fans.

The photo showing him chatting with Julien Stéphan, Romain Salin and Damien Da Silva after the match against Reims spoke volumes about the shock that all parties were experiencing.

“It was a very calm discussion that lasted well for thirty minutes.

Camavinga also came.

We felt they were resigned, ”explains Quentin, the author of the snapshot.

"We will do everything to keep him," promised the young coach at a press conference.

In the last minutes of the transfer window, the images of Raphinha in the jersey of the promoted English were broadcast on social networks, the scene of an incredible war between the supporters of the two clubs until late at night.

I'm a little fed up with reading raphinha tweets.

We lost nonda, frei, monterrubio, kallstrom ... and the club has always recovered.

Frankly raphinha was playing intermittently.

His match against Reims just leaves a feeling of waste.

Now let's move forward #srfc

- jonathan35 🔴⚫️ (@ jonathan35001) October 6, 2020

But who from Stade Rennais or Raphinha initiated this departure?

The player, who dreamed of playing in the Champions League, has he given in to the sirens of the pound sterling?

Some media evoke a doubled salary for the Brazilian.

According to a source close to the winger, the player would have been initially sorry to see Rennes accept an offer of this amount (we are talking about 17 million euros + 6 bonus).

Disappointed, he would have decided to leave the club, not without emotion.

"His choice had been made a few hours ago"

Asked about it this Tuesday, the trio Nicolas Holveck, Florian Maurice and Julien Stéphan gave their version of the facts.

“We tried to hold him back.

We spoke with him, even after the match on Sunday, but I think his choice had been made a few hours ago, ”said the former sports director of Olympique Lyonnais.

Before qualifying.

“To make a deal, all three parties have to agree.

This was the case.

He is replaced by Jérémy Doku ”, concluded Florian Maurice.

President Holveck on Raphinha's indemnity: "easily accessible bonuses for Raphinha which will allow Stade Rennais to realize a capital gain in addition to a percentage of the capital gain from a future resale".

#RMercato pic.twitter.com/fb2lQqMaYK

- ROUGEmémoire 🔴⚫ SRFC (@ROUGEmemoire) October 6, 2020

President Nicolas Holveck used the same terms.

“It was the player who told us that he wanted to leave.

We had discussions for him.

It is never a good idea to hold back a player who wants to leave.

We lived it with Edouard [Mendy].

We wanted a team with concerned players, we have it.

The president also clarified that the club should be a winner financially.

Purchased just over 20 million (with bonuses), Raphinha would have returned 17 million with six million bonuses.

"Given the accessibility of bonuses, we will be in the positive", promises the president.

Asked about his feelings, Julien Stéphan said that he “does not have to judge his choice.

You need to go forward.

There is no need to have moods ”.

"He hardly went out, he was quite homey"

One can nevertheless wonder about the development of the player since his arrival in Brittany last summer.

After having taken a long time to leave the hotel in which he had lived since his last minute transfer, the Brazilian had found a house in Pacé, where he lived with a friend who follows him wherever he went.

“He said that he didn't go out a lot, that he saw quite a few people,” explains a storekeeper from Rennes with whom the player was used to.

“He was a good guy, with an irreproachable lifestyle.

He hardly went out, he was quite a homebody, ”confides another source close to his entourage.

A few weeks ago, Raphinha surprised her world by posting a message on Twitter asking for lessons to learn English.

“Guys, I just want to learn another language,” he reassured.

The arrival of Dalbert, side loaned by Inter Milan, could suggest a left lane Auriverde that made you dream.

It will not be.

“Football is like that.

I understand his choice, I made the same three years ago.

He took advantage of an opportunity, ”commented Dalbert, who left Nice for Inter after an excellent season at the Gym.

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