Kazeem Olaigbe: Rennes close to signing ex-Southampton lad caught between Nigeria & Belgium

According to En Français via Le Footenbref, Ligue 1 campaigners Rennes are reportedly nearing a full agreement with both the Belgian club and the Nigeria-Belgium player.

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The 22-year-old has been in fine form this season, registering eight goals and one assist in 31 appearances across the Belgian Pro League and the UEFA Conference League.

A product of Southampton’s youth academy, Kazeem Olaigbe is currently under contract with Cercle Brugge until 2027, but Rennes are keen to bring him to France to bolster their attacking options.

Olaigbe’s potential arrival comes as Rennes look to fill the void left by two key departures.

Portuguese winger Jota has returned to Celtic FC, while Algerian international Amine Gouiri completed a €22 million move to Marseille on Friday.

With manager Julien Stéphan aiming to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season, the club has been highly active in the winter transfer market.

So far, Rennes have secured several notable signings, including Al-Nassr midfielder Seko Fofana, Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba, Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi, and Brest centre-back Lilian Brassier.

The addition of Kazeem Olaigbe would further enhance their squad depth as they push for a strong finish in Ligue 1.

Born in Belgium to Nigerian parents, Olaigbe started his footballing journey at Anderlecht before moving to Southampton in 2019.

After signing a contract extension with the Saints in February 2022, he was loaned out to Scottish side Ross County for the 2022–23 season, where he made his professional debut.

He later spent the second half of that campaign on loan at Harrogate Town in England’s League Two before securing a permanent move to Cercle Brugge in August 2023.

His rapid development and performances in Belgium have put him on the radar of several European clubs, with Rennes now leading the race for his signature.

Rennes will return to Ligue 1 action on Sunday when they host Strasbourg, with club officials hopeful that Olaigbe’s signing can be wrapped up in the coming days.

Olaigbe’s international future is also far from being decided. Despite representing Belgium at youth level from U15 to U21, Olaigbe remains eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria’s Super Eagles.