Stade Rennais have completed the signing of Barcelona defender Mika Faye.
The deal is worth €10.3 million (£8.7m; $11.5m), and the Spanish club have included a buyback clause to bring the 20-year-old back to Barca for €25m (£21.1m; $27.9m). Barcelona also have a 30% sell-on clause in the deal.
The Athletic reported before Barca’s pre-season tour to the United States that negotiations had been held with Porto over a transfer for the Senegalese centre-back, but they failed to agree on figures.
He has instead joined Ligue 1 side Rennes, and the defender revealed that he had spoken to former Barcelona and Rennes winger Ousmane Dembélé about the French club.
He said: “I had the opportunity to speak with Ousmane Dembélé and Lovro Majer. They both told me that this was the perfect club to keep progressing and that everything would work out well.”
Faye had an impressive season with Barca’s second team, Barcelona Atletic last year, where he played 35 times and scored four goals. Barca signed him from Croatian side NK Kustosija last year for €1.5m (£1.2m; $1.6m).
The Spanish side’s first team are well-stocked in central defence and it looked increasingly difficult that Faye would be able to force his way into Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s hands.
Barcelona, who beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on Saturday, are next in action against Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday.
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