Quentin MERLIN

In June 2025, Stade Rennais lost their first-choice left-back, Adrien Truffert, who left to join Bournemouth, and started to look for his replacement. On 22nd July 2025, it would be Quentin Merlin who would be signed to take his place in a four-year deal. The left-footed defender, born and developed in Nantes, arrived from Marseille in a deal worth 13 Million Euros with 1 Million Euros in potential bonuses. He arrived at the same time as another ex-Nantes player from the same club, midfielder Valentin Rongier. The French U21 international struggled to become an automatic starter with Rennes in the first half of the 2025/2026 season, but netted his first goal for the Red and Blacks in the French Cup Round of 64 victory over Sables Vendéens on 21st December 2025, just a couple of days after becoming a father for the first time. Merlin then scored his second goal (and his first league goal) in the very next match for Rennes, adding the finishing touch to a 2-0 win away at Lille on 3rd January 2026.