Kalimuendo leaves PSG for Stade Rennais | OneFootball

Stade Rennais FC have announced the arrival of striker Arnaud Kalimuendo on a five-year deal from Paris Saint-Germain, where the 20-year-old came up through the youth system.

Arnaud Kalimuendo, 20, has left boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain in a bid for more game time and signed a long-term deal with Stade Rennais FC, the Breton club announced in a statement on Thursday evening. "Stade Rennais FC are pleased to announce the signing of promising Paris Saint-Germain striker Arnaud Kalimuendo," the club said. "He has signed on for a five-year deal." Kalimuendo was under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until 2024, but spent the last two seasons on loan at RC Lens. With the northern club, the highly rated youngster scored 19 goals in 60 Ligue 1 Uber Eats games, impressing consistently and helping Les Sang et Or to finish seventh in each of the last two seasons. "The ambitious French international (12 caps - four goals) was approached by several European clubs this summer," the Breton club said. "But he gave his preference to Stade Rennais FC and will make his debut in the Europa League this season."

RC LENS - OGC NICE (3-0) / Highlights (RCL - OGCN) 2021/2022

Genesio: 'A different profile' This new recruit strengthen's Rennes' already well stocked attacking sector, which is what the coach wanted. "He has a slightly different profile: a player who likes to get in behind, who goes fast, who is also a finisher," said coach Bruno Genesio. "He's another weapon in the team to help us score more goals."

Meanwhile PSG coach Christophe Galtier addressed Kalimuendo's departure in a press conference on Thursday.

Galtier: 'Here, it would be diffifcult'

"I'm happy for him and we at the club are happy for him," said the new PSG boss, who has already claimed the Trophée des Champions and a 5-0 opening-day win in Clermont in his tenure at the capital club. "Things were very clear from the start about Arnaud, who was coming off a very good season with Lens, and who wants to have a lot more playing time, about the same as he had at Lens or even more. Here, it would be difficult." Kalimuendo, a native of Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine) in the Paris region, joined PSG's pre-youth academy in 2011 at the age of nine. He made his first appearance for PSG's senior team against Lens in Ligue 1 Uber Eats in September 2020, and was crowned French champion in 2022 after appearing in two games for the capital club. >> TRANSFERS: All the summer moves (Photo: Stade Rennais FC)