Rennes: Karl Toko-Ekambi wants to rediscover the joy

Karl Toko-Ekambi will make his debut in a Rennes shirt on Wednesday against Strasbourg. The 30-year-old is on loan from Olympique Lyonnais until the end of the season. Wanted by Saudi club Al-Shabab, Ekambi chose Stade Rennais instead. He explains why. "The sporting project, and my closeness to players in the squad and the management. My heart leaned towards Rennes, I know we're going to have a good end to the season, and I'll try to adapt as best I can to the system and to what the coach wants. I'm a versatile player, so I can be used in both positions (on the left and through the middle), and I'm here to help and give my very best."

Struggling at Lyon this season, the Cameroonian has scored just four goals in 19 matches. The 30-year-old forward was no longer happy at the Gones, where part of the crowd had turned on him. The Indomitable Lion did not appreciate the whistles at all after the match against Strasbourg. "When there are a few whistles, it stops the team from playing freely and it doesn't help us, that was all it was."

At Rennes, Karl Toko-Ekambi hopes to rediscover his scoring touch. "Rennes have been among the best French clubs in recent seasons. They won a Coupe de France (2019), they regularly play in European competition, they are up there in the top half of the table, and they're a team that's a pleasure to watch, so it's a big club that I'm joining, with an attractive style of play. We know that by coming here, we're going to enjoy ourselves, and I think that here, I'll rediscover the joy. That's what you look for when you go through a change, and I'm ready to turn things around after my last few months."