Coveted teenage Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga should
stay for “at least one more year” at the Ligue 1 club, according to
manager Julien Stephan amid reported interest from Real Madrid.
“It would do him good to stay at least one more year
at Rennes because he needs to back up what he’s done,” Stephan said in an
interview with AFP.
“He’s in a place he knows well, he’s at a club that
has enormous trust in him and he’s surrounded by people who know him
perfectly.”
Camavinga, who was born in Angola to Congolese parents
before moving to France as a toddler, made his Ligue 1 debut at the end of last
season aged just 16 years and five months.
Now 17, he has quickly established himself as a key player
in a team that came third — the highest finish in club history — after a
decision was taken last week to end the French season.
The France Under-21 international has repeatedly been
linked with a move to Real Madrid in the Spanish media, but Stephan warned
against joining one of Europe’s elite clubs prematurely.
“Next year he will have to back up his excellent
performances he’s had this year. It will be the next step,” said Stephan.
“He has considerable potential but we know the
difficulty of having a top-level career in sport at the highest level.
“He has to be allowed to grow, to flourish, and to
above all have fun on the pitch because that’s his driving force.”