Alious West Ham’s £22.8m Midfield Gamble Revealed: Rennes Reject Hammers’ Bold Move for French Star Djaoui Cisse
West Ham United’s summer recruitment drive in France went far beyond the eventual signing of Soungoutou Magassa, with reports in Le10 Sport claiming the club lodged a £22.8 million bid for his France U21 teammate Djaoui Cisse.
The Hammers ultimately sealed a £14m deal for Magassa, beating competition from Nottingham Forest and Eintracht Frankfurt, but not before attempting an ambitious swoop for Rennes’ highly rated 21-year-old. The bid is believed to have included £19m up front with an additional £3m in performance-related bonuses.
Rennes, however, rejected the approach outright, determined to build their team around the dynamic midfielder, who has rapidly emerged as one of Ligue 1’s brightest young prospects. Head coach **Habib Beye** has since stressed that higher expectations will be placed on Cisse this season, pushing him to evolve into a genuine leader for the Breton club.
Cisse’s Rising Stock
Cisse’s reputation skyrocketed at the **Under-21 European Championships**, where he lit up the tournament with three spectacular goals. A long-range curler against Poland, a thunderous strike with his weaker foot, and a composed finish after gliding past defenders highlighted his mix of athleticism, flair, and technical brilliance. His displays drew comparisons to **Patrick Vieira**, a sentiment echoed when West Ham’s own Mark Robson described Mohamadou Kante in similar terms.
The Rennes talent’s attacking drive from midfield meant he was not necessarily seen as a direct alternative to Magassa — who is more defensively minded — but rather as an additional creative option in case negotiations for **Mateus Fernandes** broke down.
### Why West Ham Settled on Magassa
While Cisse slipped from their grasp, West Ham pressed ahead with Magassa, who impressed fans with his energetic cameo against Tottenham and is tipped for his first Premier League start against Everton. Manager **Graham Potter** praised the former Monaco youngster’s versatility, Champions League experience, and hunger, insisting he possesses the qualities to strengthen the Hammers’ midfield core.
Adding further depth to their French contingent, versatile defender **Dimitri Colau** also made his West Ham debut in the recent EFL Cup thrashing of MK Dons, underlining the club’s commitment to sourcing emerging talent from Ligue 1.
Though Rennes stood firm over Cisse, West Ham’s bold pursuit highlights their ambition to reshape the squad with young, high-ceiling players — and fans may wonder if the Hammers might revisit that interest in future windows.
Alious
