Costil : “It would have been foolish to refuse their offer”

Sometimes there are opportunities you don’t want to miss, some way to take in the right direction. Benoît Costil was perfectly aware of that during negotiations with Stade rennais, even though Olympique de Marseille were also after him. Contacted a short time before the last UNFP awards ceremony, the new Rennes goalkeeper admit he didn’t take him long to make his call : “When Rennes contacted me, I was surprised but not so much. I thought: +It’s nice, go for it!+. It would have been foolish to refuse their offer” he enjoys remembering in comments reported by the website of L’Équipe.

Then, what is it that made the difference between Rennes and a club like Marseille? While the first offered first-choice goalkeeper position, the southerners could only, for now, propose him to shadow Steve Mandanda. A position which has obviously weighed in the balance: “It didn’t leave me cold, but for my evolution, I considered it was the best choice for me to join Rennes.”
A new direction, but not in completely unknown territory since he will reunite with Christophe Revel (Rennes goalkeeper’s coach) alongside who he played during one season in Vannes. A good thing for Costil: “He knows my strengths and my weaknesses. He knows how far I can go. It will make things easier.”

The choice of the Rennes management could seem slightly surprising, since a few “big names” were announced around La Piverdière to replace Nicolas Douchez. But according to Pierre Dréossi, Costil isn’t a default choice, even if it seems clear that the general manager isn’t only looking at the sportive aspect: “It would be better to have a Steve Mandanda... he said, a comment reported by Le Mensuel de Rennes on theirs website. There is, however, a sportive and economic reality. I can assure you the transfer of Costil ins’t a lack of ambition.”