West Ham United have missed out on the loan signing of Real Madrid starlet Martin Odegaard, with Ouest France claiming that the gifted playmaker is to join Stade Rennais for the 2016-17 campaign.
The Hammers have been linked with a move for the Norwegian midfielder, who is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in European football.
Odegaard has predominantly featured in the Madrid reserve ranks, with little potential for first-team football at the Santiago Bernabeu due to the array of talent at Zinedine Zidane’s disposal.
The aim is to send the Scandinavian out on loan to give him more experience of senior football, with the Spanish giants said to be carefully considering his destination.
West Ham and Liverpool are both believed to hold an interest in Odegaard, but the amount of regular action he would receive at either Premier League side remains to be seen.
As such, the report suggests that the teenage star will move to the modest Ligue 1 side where a starting berth is more likely to be secured.
