Aston Villa are monitoring Estéban Lepaul after the Rennes striker began the new Ligue 1 season by scoring against Paris Saint-Germain. Manchester City are also tracking the 26-year-old, who finished last season as the division’s leading scorer with 21 goals.
L’Équipe reports that Villa and City have registered an interest, adding to attention from Atlético Madrid, Napoli and Como. There is no suggestion that Villa have submitted an offer or opened negotiations with Rennes.
The French club are determined to retain Lepaul and reportedly do not expect him to request a departure. That stance leaves Unai Emery’s side watching a prolific but potentially difficult target during the closing stages of the transfer window.
Estéban Lepaul interest arrives as Watkins future shifts
Villa’s interest carries greater relevance because Ollie Watkins has rejected a proposed four-year contract while Al-Hilal continue pursuing the England striker. Losing Watkins would leave Emery requiring a proven central forward rather than simply another versatile attacker.
Lepaul offers clear recent evidence of finishing quality. Rennes confirmed he scored 21 times across all 34 Ligue 1 matches last season, including 12 during the second half of the campaign and seven across his final seven appearances.
He immediately continued that run by converting Przemysław Frankowski’s cross during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with PSG. Reuters reported that his first-half finish put Rennes 2-0 ahead before Ferran Torres scored twice for the European champions.
The forward extended his Rennes contract until 2030 in June, strengthening the club’s position and removing any immediate pressure to sell. No asking price has been reported in connection with Villa’s interest.
Aston Villa face competition for Estéban Lepaul
Manchester City’s involvement illustrates the competition Villa would face if Rennes softened their stance. Atlético, Napoli and Como have also reportedly placed the Frenchman on their respective shortlists.
Villa are exploring several attacking options rather than relying on one deal. They have opened talks over Rafael Leão and previously made a proposal for Nicolas Jackson, although each route presents a different financial or competitive obstacle.
Estéban Lepaul therefore looks more like a contingency under observation than an advanced transfer. His goals, age and upward trajectory make the interest understandable, but Rennes’ reluctance to negotiate means Villa would need a significant change in circumstances before a deal became realistic.
