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Outgoing Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has revealed that he took advice from Gianluigi Buffon and Adrien Rabiot before deciding to join Rennes on loan this summer.
Juventus were looking to offload the player this summer, but a suitable move only materialized in the dying hours of the transfer deadline day. The Old Lady struck a deal with French club Rennes which will see Rugani play in Ligue 1 this season.
Rennes enjoyed a fantastic campaign last season, managing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The team have already begun preparations to play in the premier European club football competition and have now added further steel with the addition of the Italian defender.
Daniele Rugani will bring a wealth of experience and a hunger to succeed, which should serve Rennes well.
The 26-year-old initially joined Juventus from Empoli on loan in the 2012/13 season as a teenager, but that move was made permanent a year later after a string of impressive performances.
He spent two more seasons on loan with Empoli, but since returning in 2015, Rugani has been in and out of the first team. He said that one of the reasons he made the move to Rennes was to feel important again.
Daniele Rugani’s Juventus teammates helped him get some insight into Ligue 1 and Rennes
Speaking to the official website of his new club, Daniele Rugani revealed that in addition to feeling important, he also chose Rennes to take up a new challenge.
"Several reasons led me to join Stade Rennais FC The first is personal and the second is sporting. I felt an urge to feel alive and useful again for a team. I wanted to take up a new challenge, it was the opportunity," Rugani said.
The Italian also admitted that the lure of the Champions League influenced his decision.
"I am not denying that the possibility of playing the Champions League influenced my decision. Sporting director Florian Maurice and Julien Stéphan convinced me that it was the right project for me. Nothing was promised to me because you always have to fight to deserve to play. I had this need to count in a group and in competition," he added.
Daniele Rugani also spoke about the difficulties of being an Italian defender in Ligue 1 saying:
"Ligue 1 is a very difficult championship, very physical with a lot of intensity and which is perhaps even harder for an Italian defender. In Italy, it’s very tactical, here it’s more physical and faster. It is one of the most successful championships and the results of the French teams in the European Cup prove it."
Lastly, Daniele Rugani said that two of his Juventus teammates helped him get some insight into Ligue 1 and Rennes, ultimately convincing him to make the move.
"I spoke with Gianluigi Buffon and Adrien Rabiot. They told me a lot of good about this championship. Gianluigi was very happy because he was convinced that it was a good choice for me. He told me that Stade Rennais was a very organized team, difficult to face," Daniele Rugani said.
