Report: Roma interested in Rennes Midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud

Silly season won't officially begin for another few weeks, but with domestic leagues closing up shop over the next week or so, the transfer rumor mill is already primed and ready for takeoff. However, rather than rehashing the Granit Xhaka or Marcos Senesi stories, we're going to spend today discussing a player with a slightly different profile, one who can potentially lift Roma out of the attacking doldrums that plagued them intermittently throughout José Mourinho's first season in the Italian capital.

According to French outlet L’Equipe (paywall article), Roma is weighing up a summer move for Rennes midfielder/forward/winger Benjamin Bourigeaud, whose contract at Roazhan Park is set to expire in June 2023. Bourigeaud, a 28-year-old Calais native, has been a steady presence for Rennes since arriving at the club in the summer of 2017, logging over 200 appearances in all competitions since signing from Lens.

A right-footer, Bourigeaud has amassed 41 goals and 39 assists in all competitions for Rennes, including 11 goals and 16 assists between Ligue 1 and the Europa Conference League this season, including qualifiers. And not only is Bourigeaud an extremely productive and dynamic attacking player, but he's also incredibly versatile, seeing time at six different positions this season, ranging from attacking midfielder to right-wing/wide forward, while his setpiece heroics have led some Rennes fans to dub him the “French Beckham.”

Given his production, age, and tactical versatility, Bourigeaud should help the club as they wean themselves off Henrikh Mkhitaryan's wisened legs, while also providing complementary support to players as varied as Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham, and Nicolo Zaniolo.

With one year remaining on his deal and no new pact on the horizon, Roma could strike while the iron is hot, landing a talented and versatile asset for less than his current €15 million Transfermarkt valuation.