🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Stade Rennais aims to extend Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal's contract amid European interest
via Le Matin1 min read
Stade Rennais intends to extend Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal's contract beyond 2028, according to "Ouest-France." The young African champion, who arrived from the Mohammed VI Football Academy, has attracted European interest after a successful season. The Moroccan international, valued at 10 million euros by Transfermarkt, has become a key player for Rennes. At 19, the central defender has played 16 matches this season, scoring 2 goals and providing one assist, establishing himself as a defensive revelation in Ligue 1 due to his strength in duels, passing quality, and maturity. Borussia Dortmund and other clubs from the Bundesliga, Premier League, and Eredivisie are reportedly interested in the player. Stade Rennais aims to support his development and retain him amidst growing European competition.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Must ReadSpain secured its place in the 2026 World Cup final after defeating France. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a penalty in the 22nd minute, giving Spain a deserved lead. Pedro Porro then sealed the victory for "La Roja" in the 58th minute with the second goal. France was unable to recover from the deficit. Spain will now face the winner of the second semi-final match between Argentina, the reigning champions, and England.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who gained recognition with LOSC and impressed at the World Cup with the Atlas Lions, is reportedly a target for Manchester City. According to The Athletic, Manchester City plans to make an offer in the coming days to acquire Bouaddi, who is considered one of Europe's most promising talents. While Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Manchester United are also interested, Manchester City is currently in the lead. The Athletic suggests an offer around 100 million euros would be needed to persuade Lille's management. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who had an exceptional World Cup, is attracting interest from European clubs. Turkish newspaper Fanatik reports that Fenerbahçe has made the Moroccan goalkeeper a priority for their summer recruitment and is preparing an offer for Al-Hilal. Juventus is also reportedly monitoring Bounou's situation, viewing the former Sevilla FC goalkeeper as a player who could bring experience and consistency to their defense.
The opening La Liga matches for Real Madrid and Barcelona have been rescheduled due to the World Cup. Real Madrid, now managed by José Mourinho, was originally set to host Real Sociedad between August 15-19, while reigning Spanish champions Barcelona were to begin their season at Camp Nou against Athletic Bilbao. These fixtures have been postponed to August 26 and August 27, respectively. Consequently, both clubs will now start their seasons with matches originally scheduled for the second matchday: Espanyol Barcelona vs. Real Madrid on August 22, and Elche vs. FC Barcelona on August 23. Other rescheduled matches include Betis vs. Real Sociedad on August 21 and Athletic vs. Sevilla FC on August 22. Atlético Madrid, despite having several players in the World Cup semifinals, will play their first match against Malaga on August 19. The game between Celta Vigo and Osasuna, both of whom sent a forward to the World Cup with the Spanish national team, will proceed as planned on August 16. The La Liga season will officially kick off on August 15 with Alavés facing Getafe, followed by Sevilla FC against Rayo Vallecano.