Estéban LEPAUL

Having sold their striker Arnaud Kalimuendo to Nottingham Forest for 30 Million Euros, Stade Rennais were on the lookout for a suitable replacement as centre forward. Esteban Lepaul is a striker, who was developed by Olympique Lyonnais, before learning his trade in the lower divisions with Orléans and Épinal. Aged 25, Lepaul made a name for himself over the course of a season-and-a-half with Angers and perfectly fitted the profile of player they were looking for, and on Thursday 28th August 2025, the son of the late professional, Fabrice Lepaul, joined the Red and Blacks in a four-year deal worth 12.5 Million Euros plus 3 Million Euros in potential bonuses. His first season in Red and Black would prove to be a roaring success. Aside from helping his side to a 6th place finish, and a place in the Europa League, Lepaul ended up as the Ligue 1 Top Scorer for the 2025/2026 season, netting 21 goals (one of which came whilst playing for Angers), and adding 5 assists to his tally. Lepaul became to the first Rennes player to finish Top Scorer since the era of Alexander Frei. His growing reputation as a goalscorer meant that he attracted interest from a number of big clubs, but the striker signed a contract extension in June 2026, tying him to Stade Rennais until 2030.