Nice enter discussions with Rennes for out-of-favour midfielder Baptiste Santamaria | OneFootball

According to a report from Le Parisien, OGC Nice are attempting to reach an agreement with Stade Rennais for the signing of Baptiste Santamaria (29) on loan but with an option to buy.

Santamaria was a regular starter last season under head coach Julien Stéphan helping the club reach the knockout rounds of the Europa League and the semi-final of the Coupe de France where they were eliminated by AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.

The French midfielder has dramatically fallen out of favour in Breton. His game time was already waning under Stéphan compared to the season before, but it has plummeted since Jorge Sampaoli was announced as the club’s new head coach in November.

Baptiste Santamaria reduced to limited game time under Jorge Sampaoli

Santamaria has only made two substitute appearances for Sampaoli in the dying minutes of the defeat to FC Nantes and the Coupe de France victory over FC Girondins de Bordeaux, constituting a total of four minutes of football under the new head coach.

GFFN | Nick Hartland