Jérôme LEROY

In July 2007, Stade Rennais signed Jérôme Leroy, one of the architects of Sochaux’s victory in the French Cup Final two months previously. This attacking midfielder was brought in to bolster an area where Rennes were lacking since the departures of Gourcuff and Källström in 2006. He arrived with the label of rebellious and inconsistent, but he soon started pulling the strings in Rennes’ midfield and his connection with Pagis worked wonders. He scored 8 goals, and provided moments of wonderful inspiration in his first season. The former Paris Saint Germain youth product became so well adopted by the locals that he ended up spending four seasons by the Vilaine River, his longest stay at any football club. Unfortunate in the French Cup Final in 2009, firing against the crossbar against Guingamp, Leroy continued to impress new boss Antonetti from 2009-2011. At the age of 37, and after proud service to the Red and Blacks, his contract was not renewed, and his was replaced by his “clone” Julien Féret, 8 years his younger. He joined Evian Thonon Gaillard in June 2011 for a new challenge.