Samir Nasri denies being linked with Jorge Sampaoli’s coaching staff at Rennes

Samir Nasri strongly denied on Sunday to Canal+ – where he works as a pundit – that he would join Jorge Sampaoli’s coaching staff at Rennes as a deputy coach. “It’s all fantasy and fake news. I haven’t had the coach over the phone“, Nasri said. “We talked a week ago over family news.” The former Manchester City attacking midfielder mentions he is not a coach yet and that nobody within Rennes sounded him out.

Sampaoli is on the verge of being appointed Rennes coach. The Argentine attended the team’s 2-0 home loss against Toulouse alongside club president Arnaud Pouille and Sporting director Frederic Massara. Sampaoli will unexpectedly return to Ligue 1 management, having overseen Marseille’s resurgence from 2021 to 2022. The Argentine resigned from his position before the 2022-2023 season, lamenting Les Phocéens‘ limited transfer business.

Rennes is in free fall, having lost back-to-back Ligue 1 games before the international break. The first of which – a 4-0 hammering against Auxerre – eventually cost Julien Stéphan his job.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval