Rennes: Fulham distances itself from Aït Boudlal and activates the Matsima option

Fulham seems to be distancing itself from Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal. After receiving another refusal from Stade Rennais, the London club has begun discussions with Augsburg to recruit Chrislain Matsima, who now appears as an alternative solution in defense.

The Cottagers had submitted a second offer of 35 million euros, which could include several bonuses, in an attempt to attract the Moroccan defender to the Premier League. This proposal was rejected by Rennes, whose priority remains to keep Aït Boudlal and extend his contract, currently valid until June 2028. The demands of the Breton club are said to be close to 50 million euros.

In light of Rennes’ firmness, Fulham is therefore exploring another option. According to Florian Plettenberg, discussions have started with Augsburg regarding Chrislain Matsima. The 24-year-old French central defender, under contract with the German club until 2030, has thus become a concrete option on this final day of the transfer window.

The opening of this new file suggests that Fulham does not wish to meet Rennes’ financial demands. However, the Aït Boudlal option has not yet been officially abandoned, but a transfer of the Atlas Lion to London now seems less likely just hours before the market closes.