Liverpool have agreed to sign Jeremy Jacquet for £60 million in the summer transfer window.
Stade Rennais have dropped a bombshell statement in relation to supposed ‘slanderous statements’ made by media outlets regarding head coach Habib Beye.
Reports have claimed that Beye is under pressure at Rennes after a 3-0 loss to Marseille in the Coup de France earlier this week. FootMercato suggested that Beye has ‘opened to door’ to leaving the Red and Blacks but ‘wants a substantial payoff’.
There are suggestions that Beye wants a percentage of the £60 million transfer fee that Liverpool have agreed to pay for Jeremy Jacquet. The defender will move to Anfield at the end of the season, having been a regular starter for Rennes this term.
The French side have hit out over the reports on the eve of their clash against Ligue 1 title-chasers Lens. A club statement said: “Stade Rennais F.C. has taken note of the slanderous statements made in the columns of certain media outlets against the club and its coach Habib Beye, particularly regarding fanciful interests related to the transfers of our players Jérémy Jacquet and Kader Meïté.
“The management of Stade Rennais F.C. firmly denies these allegations. On the eve of an important away match, these attempts at destabilization are indecent and dishonest. Stade Rennais F.C., as a whole—players, coach, staff, and management—is doing everything possible to regain positive momentum in order to achieve its objectives.”
There are also reports that Beye clashed with Rennes players Moussa Al-Tamari and Brice Samba at half-time in the defeat by Marseille. Speaking at his pre-Lens press conference, Beye said these suggestions were inaccurate.
Beye said: “I'm perfectly fine mentally. Unfortunately, in the locker room, we saw that a lot of things were being reported. I'm still surprised by how inaccurate everything that's been said. Everything that's been reported is inaccurate. It wasn't a clash, but a coach's instruction, like in any locker room.
“We also know that things can change quickly, one way or the other. We need to stay calm. We can’t be in this situation where everything is viewed negatively. We get closer, but then we’re plunged back into an incredible crisis.
“I’m protecting my team, and what’s unfortunate is that everything is getting out and being distorted. We need to report the real facts, not fabricated ones. I’m not trying to set the record straight, but I have to protect my team from this.”
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