Ligue 1 club Rennes has initiated discussions with rivals Olympique Marseille regarding a potential transfer for 23-year-old France U21 international left-back Quentin Merlin. This move comes as Rennes, often referred to as Les Rouge et Noir, is actively seeking a new senior left-back to fill the void left by their former captain, Adrien Truffert, who recently moved to AFC Bournemouth in a €17 million deal.
Negotiations for Merlin, who joined Olympique Marseille eighteen months ago from Rennes` traditional rivals, Nantes, for €10 million, have reportedly intensified. Rennes is understood to have engaged with Marseille`s Sporting Director, Medhi Benatia, to explore the conditions for Merlin`s departure. The talented defender is currently under contract with Les Phocéens until 2028 and featured in 29 games for Roberto De Zerbi’s squad last season.
