At the beginning of September, Alfred Gomis had extended his contract at Dijon until 2024 and was preparing for a new season of struggle for maintenance with the current red lantern of Ligue 1.
But at the same time, Chelsea looked kindly at Edouard Mendy. Rennes therefore had to look for a new goalkeeper and the choice quickly fell on Gomis, even if the negotiations to snatch him from Dijon took a little time. In the end, the transfer is estimated by the press between 15 and 16 million euros, a record for a Ligue 1 goalkeeper, while Mendy left for 25 million euros (plus bonus).
Tall and slender like 27-year-old Mendy, he too has a strong character, with a significant presence in the locker room.
Passed through Italy
The fruit of an atypical career for this son from Ziguinchor (Senegal), who grew up in Italy, where his father, also a keeper, had chosen to stay after being invited to take tests. Trained in Torino, Alfred Gomis spent his entire career in Serie B loans before discovering the Italian elite at SPAL in 2017.
Even if this long quest left him with a bitter taste, he who feels as much Italian as Senegalese does not deny this experience: “The French are convinced that their goalkeepers are the best, the Italians too. I am fortunate to have grown up in Italy, ”he commented on his arrival in Rennes.
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In the summer of 2019, he took advantage of an injury to Mendy, N.1 in the selection, to come into play during the African Cup, participating in the epic of the Lions of Téranga until a final lost against Algeria (1-0) which leaves them all with a strong desire for revenge during the next edition, scheduled for now in January 2022 in Cameroon.
In the wake of the CAN, he made the jump to Ligue 1 with Dijon, quickly establishing himself at the expense of Icelandic international Runar Alex Runarsson.
Launched in the bath in the Champions League
And arrived slightly injured in Rennes at the end of the transfer window, he jumped two feet into the bath of the Champions League for his debut in his new jersey.
Correct but nothing more against Krasnodar (1-1), he proved imperial in Seville, making no less than eight saves to keep afloat overwhelmed Rennes who owe him an honest score (defeat 1 -0). On the Chelsea pitch, he could not do anything on the three goals but he won a face-to-face with Olivier Giroud.
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In two weeks, he has thus put both Rennes supporters and his new teammates in his pocket. “He is an already experienced goalkeeper, very good in the aerial field, very strong on his line, with leadership. He is reasonable in his words, he has maturity, ”greets his trainer, Julien Stéphan.
The only downside: persistent failures in raises and kicking. But “luckily there are still things to work on,” says Stéphan.
Saturday at the Parc des Princes, Rennes will still play a match worthy of the Champions League, Stéphan warned. Even in the absence of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, he relies all the more on Gomis as his central hinge risks showing signs of weakness by dint of stringing matches since Daniele Rugani is injured.
Perhaps a good sign for Rennes: last season, Gomis was absent for injury during two heavy defeats for Dijon against PSG. The only time he was in the cages, a year ago, the Parisians lost 2-1.
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