Transfer Centre

Rennes rule out move for Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 21 December 2016

Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard will not join Rennes on loan after the Ligue 1 club's president and head coach deemed him not ready for first-team football.

Rennes have ruled out a loan move for Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard, claiming that he is not ready for first-team football.

The Norway international attended the Ligue 1 side's game against Saint-Etienne in early December, leading to speculation that he could join them in January.

However, a discussion between Rennes president Rene Ruello and head coach Christian Gourcuff led to them ruling out a move for the 18-year-old.

"Christian looked and said to us, 'Right now he's not ready, he needs to work,'" Ruello told the Pleine Lucarne show on TVR in France.

"If we have him for six months, he's not going to play, or very little, so there's no interest in doing it.

"If we have him for 18 months, we're going to get him up to speed and he'll leave after that. Rennes aren't here to bring through players for other clubs."

Odegaard joined Real Madrid in January 2015 but only made his first start for the club in November when he featured in the Copa del Rey.