Leeds United cashed in on the midfielder after just one season of football at Elland Road.
Stade Rennais look set to cut their losses on former Leeds United midfielder Glen Kamara amid reports of a potential January return to England.
Kamara joined Rennes in the summer of 2024, having spent just one season at Leeds as Daniel Farke’s side suffered play-off final defeat to Southampton. Having signed the midfielder from Rangers for around £5million, Elland Road chiefs decided to cash in when the opportunity arose to almost double their money, adding more attacking profiles in the form of Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell.
Last season, Kamara made just 13 league appearances for Rennes before a January loan move to Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia, and the Finland international hasn’t played a single minute back at his parent club this campaign. French outlet Foot Mercato now reports another winter exit ‘seems inevitable’, although this time it could be permanent.
Kamara is said to have held conversations with club chiefs at Rennes and has been told to find a new home in January, with no place in head coach Habib Beye’s plans. The French club are believed to want just €3m (£2.6m) for the former Leeds man, a significant loss on the €10m (around £8m) they spent just over 12 months ago.
News of Kamara’s diminishing value would suggest Leeds were right to cash in when they did, booking significant profit on a midfielder whose profile wasn’t necessarily best-suited for Farke’s promotion-chasing squad. Alongside Ethan Ampadu, the former Rangers man lacked the attacking threat his two successors in Rothwell and Tanaka possessed.
Leeds picked up Tanaka from German second-tier side Fortuna Dusseldorf after selling Kamara, paying less than £3m for the Japan international who was crowned Players’ Player of the Season in his debut campaign. Loan arrival Rothwell also cemented himself as a game-changing option in midfield who grabbed some crucial assists.
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Leicester City and Ipswich Town linked with Glen Kamara
Kamara could be set for a return to the Championship, however, with Foot Mercato naming a couple of this season’s promotion contenders as potential suitors. Leicester City and Ipswich Town are both thought to be interested in the 29-year-old, with Rennes also open to a loan-to-buy deal if their initial price tag cannot be met.
Whether Leicester or Ipswich do make a move for Kamara in January remains to be seen, but a lack of regular football makes it hard to see the midfielder hit the ground running. He impressed in parts at Leeds, particularly against Leicester both home and away, but has been unable to kick on in France.
"The Glen Kamara we saw at Leeds was an incredible player, but it's been a rough couple of seasons since he left," EFL pundit Don Goodman told Football League World of the potential move. "I don't really know, I think if you can get the Kamara who performed at Leeds, then maybe it's a good signing, but I don't really think it's an area on the pitch they [Leicester] need strengthening in. They should probably have other priorities."
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