Rennes considering former Newcastle and Chelsea striker Demba Ba for sporting director | OneFootball

According to a report from L’Équipe, Stade Rennais are considering replacing their current sporting director, Frederic Massara, with former Newcastle United and Chelsea striker Demba Ba.

The retired footballer has kept busy since he hung up his boots in 2021. In 2023, he became a minority owner and director of football at Ligue 2 side USL Dunkerque. The club have been having an impressive season, outperforming their meagre means.

The 4th-placed side are challenging for promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history and have reached the Coupe de France semi-final, where they will face holders Paris Saint-Germain.

Demba Ba key to Dunkerque’s fortunes

Ba has played his part in the rise of the small club, and this has not gone unnoticed at Rennes. However, L’Équipe writes that RC Strasbourg Alsace’s Loïc Désiré remains the firm favourite to take over from Massara.

Massara’s time at the club will be short-lived, having arrived in July, and it is expected that the former AC Milan sporting director will leave at the end of the season. The damage had been done following an expensive and disappointing summer window.

GFFN | Nick Hartland