Nicolas LEMAÎTRE

Born in the Champagne region of France, in Reims in January 1997, goalkeeper Nicolas Lemaître began his footballing journey in his hometown. Developed by Reims, he made his first appareance as a professional in the French Second Division, against Sochaux in February 2017. But his role at the club would otherwise be purely as an understudy, first to Edouard Mendy, then to Predrag Rajkovic. In search of more game time, Lemaître was loaned out to Normandy side US Quevilly Rouen Métropole, then playing in the French Third Division (National, now referred to as Ligue 3). During his loan spell there, he managed 9 clean sheets in his 27 appearances. His displays there, earned him a permanent move to Quevilly in the Summer transfer window in 2021. He would go on to spend two seasons there, playing a total of 97 matches in Normandy, before signing for ESTAC Troyes in 2023, where he obtained a three-year deal. He would make 44 appearances for the club, helping Troyes to the Ligue 2 title in the 2025/2026 season. With Stade Rennais looking for a more experienced understudy to Brice Samba in the summer of 2026, the Red and Blacks took the plunge, signing the out of contract goalkeeper on a two-year deal on 26th June 2026.