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Arsenal join race to sign exciting Rennes midfielder Djaoui Cisse

By on April 12, 2026

Arsenal have expressed interest in signing highly rated French midfielder Djaoui Cissé from Rennes next summer, according to Media Foot.

Cissé is a product of Rennes’ ever-growing academy, which has produced the likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert, and a host of others.

Now, having impressed in the youth teams where he made over 60 appearances, he was integrated into the first team under former manager Habib Beye, who handed the youngster his debut in the 3–1 Ligue 1 victory against Clermont on February 18, 2024.

He has since remained a mainstay in the heart of the midfield for Les Rouge et Noir and also a regular at the international level with France U21.

In the ongoing campaign, the 6ft 2in midfielder has played in 22 games across all competitions, and despite the managerial change, he has continued to impress, with his displays now piquing the interest of several clubs.

One of the clubs looking to sign Cissé is Arsenal, according to Media Foot, which claims that the north London club have now formally entered the race for his signature.

The report adds that the Premier League leaders admire the potential and profile of the France U21 international, who is also of keen interest to Leeds United, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bayer Leverkusen.

Mikel Arteta wants Cissé

Having played in midfield himself, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is impressed by Cissé’s technicality and style of play and believes the 22-year-old would be a viable fit for his squad, according to the French outlet.

Few coaches across Europe’s top five leagues can rival the midfield depth currently available to Mikel Arteta, especially following the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, and Eberechi Eze, who have strengthened an already well-established unit that includes Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, and academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, currently on loan at Marseille.

Despite the depth in midfield, concerns persist due to Christian Nørgaard’s age, Merino’s recovery from a long-term foot injury, and Ødegaard’s recurring fitness issues, all of which are compounded by ongoing speculation about his future.

Given those uncertainties, Arsenal should consider a move for a younger yet equally talented midfielder with significant potential, such as Cissé, ahead of the summer transfer window.

However, with four years left in his contract with Rennes, Arsenal will need to submit a concrete offer to Rennes, who will likely demand a fee well above his £13m Transfermarkt valuation.