Djimi TRAORÉ

Djimi Traoré was loaned to Stade Rennais by Portsmouth in January 2008. This Mali defender had won the Champions League in 2005 with Liverpool in a memorable Final against AC Milan (3-3, Liverpool won on penalties), playing the entire match. Under Manager Lacombe, he was used as a left-back – his preferred position – to replace Edman, who had left to join Wigan in the same Winter transfer window after a disappointing couple of months in Rennes. Despite his flattering CV, the player developed at Laval (also capable of playing in central defence) was disappointing in Red and Black. At the heart of a defence where he worked alongside Fanni, Mensah and Hansson, Traoré often came up short from a technical point a view, and was unable to make his impressive physique tell except for on the odd occasion. After 6 lacklustre months, he returned to England, and crossed the channel in the opposite direction to Rennes’ replacement: Carlos Bocanegra, who signed from Fulham.