Daniele Rugani reveals Juventus teammates Gigi Buffon and Adrien Rabiot ‘convinced me’ to try Ligue 1 with a loan at Stade Rennais. ‘I want to feel useful.’
It is a dry loan, so without an option to buy, with Rennes paying his salary and a €1.5m fee.
“I chose Rennes for many reasons, both personal and sporting,” he told the official club website.
Daniele Rugani reveals Juventus teammates Gigi Buffon and Adrien Rabiot ‘convinced me’ to try Ligue 1 with a loan at Stade Rennais. ‘I want to feel useful.’
It is a dry loan, so without an option to buy, with Rennes paying his salary and a €1.5m fee.
“I chose Rennes for many reasons, both personal and sporting,” he told the official club website.
“I want to feel like a protagonist again and be useful to a team. I wanted a new challenge and this was the perfect opportunity, as Rennes have an ambitious project and are constantly improving.”
The club qualified for the Champions League and Rugani “will not deny that influenced my decision. Nothing was promised to me, I know that I must earn my place in the XI.
“Ligue 1 is very physical and played at a high intensity, which is tough for an Italian defender more accustomed to tactical approaches.”
The Italy international took advice from some of his teammates with experience of the French League.
“Buffon and Rabiot told me a great deal about this league. Gianluigi was very happy and convinced this was a good choice for me. He said Stade Rennais are a very organised side, difficult to face as an opponent when he was at PSG.
“I watched their games against Lazio in the Europa League last season and we can be a surprise in the Champions League.”