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French outlet Media Foot, via Sport Witness, report that Leeds United have joined the race to sign Stade Rennais central midfielder Djaoui Cissé. This move comes ahead of the summer transfer window. According to the report, Daniel Farke’s side have already gathered preliminary information on the 21-year-old. However, the outlet does not specify whether the Whites approached Rennais directly, the player’s representatives, or both. Either way, Leeds United have clearly laid the groundwork to move for the France Under-21 international once this season concludes.
Cissé is no stranger to interest from England. At the start of this campaign, Sport Witness relayed claims from France regarding West Ham United. The Hammers submitted a substantial bid for the midfielder last summer. Reports structured the deal as a fixed fee of €22 million plus a further €3 million in potential bonuses. Stade Rennais, however, rejected the proposal outright. The club intended to build their squad around the midfielder. Media Foot make no mention of West Ham in their latest report and names Leeds United exclusively. This suggests the Hammers’ chase has since cooled.
Notably, Rennes recently appointed Franck Haise as head coach following Habib Beye’s departure. The French club have yet to decide whether Cissé forms part of their plans under the new manager. Nevertheless, the outlet indicates that the door to a transfer remains open. This remains true despite Cissé holding a contract at the Roazhon Park until 2030. Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen have also entered the picture. According to the same report, Leeds United face serious Bundesliga competition.
Can a Survival Battle at Elland Road Actually Attract a €25m Talent?
KOSICE, SLOVAKIA – JUNE 25: Ansgar Knauff (L) and Nick Woltemade of U21 Germany in action against Djaoui Cisse of U21 France during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Semi-Final match between Germany and France at Kosice Football Arena on June 25, 2025 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Christian Hofer/Getty Images)
Leeds United currently sit 15th in the Premier League table. They sit eight points clear of the relegation zone after returning to the top flight as Championship champions. That context matters enormously here. Farke’s recruitment team must answer a difficult question. It is not simply whether Cissé fits the system. He clearly does.
He stands at 6’2″ and possesses physical presence with the technical intelligence of a deep-lying playmaker. Instead, they must ask if Leeds can persuade a France Under-21 midfielder to choose Elland Road over Leverkusen or Frankfurt. Cissé recently scored a stunning brace at the 2025 U21 European Championships.
Cissé joined Rennes’ academy in January 2017. He worked through the reserve structure before making his professional debut in February 2024. This makes Cissé a product of one of French football’s most reliable development pipelines. His market value surged from €100,000 in early 2024 to €15 million by late 2025. West Ham’s rejected €25 million package signals that the true asking price sits considerably higher. Matching that valuation represents a significant stretch for a newly promoted Leeds United side. They must operate within the financial realities of their first Premier League season back.
However, there is aninteresting counterargument. Farke consistently recruits young, technically progressive players. He gives them central roles rather than peripheral ones. Cissé is box-to-box and composed under pressure. He also produces from both feet at the highest youth level. He fits exactly the profile Leeds have pursued historically.
Furthermore, Rennes’ leadership transition under Haise introduces genuine uncertainty. An unsettled environment can make even a contracted player receptive to listening. Leeds United might possess their strongest card by catching Cissé during this institutional flux rather than against a stable Rennes project.