Rennes, France — In a notable transfer move, goalkeeper Brice Samba is set to join Rennes from fellow French league outfit Lens, the club announced on Wednesday.

The signing of Samba, who serves as France’s second-choice goalkeeper behind Mike Maignan, is confirmed until 2029. However, the financial specifics of the agreement have not been made public.

The 30-year-old Samba could potentially debut in the league for Rennes this weekend in a match against Marseille, the team he previously played for.

Samba made the switch to Lens in 2022 after playing a key role in Nottingham Forest’s ascent to the Premier League, where he made a total of 96 appearances for the northern club.

At Lens, he will be succeeded by Spanish goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who has been acquired on loan from Marseille for the remainder of the season, with an option for a permanent transfer.

Lopez, aged 30, was initially loaned to Girona in Spain at the beginning of the season but only made one appearance in the Copa del Rey. He is expected to step in as the starting goalkeeper for Lens, replacing Hervé Koffi from Burkina Faso, who has featured in the last two matches for the team, including a penalty shootout loss in the French Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.

Currently, Rennes sits in 13th place after completing 16 matches in the French league, trailing leaders PSG by a substantial 23 points.

Samba expressed his ambitions, stating, “I want to be as decisive as possible, that’s what earned me a spot in the French national team, and I hope to maintain that performance level.” He has played three matches for the national side.

This transfer marks the second key acquisition by the newly appointed Rennes coach Jorge Sampaoli and includes another player from Lens, as Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana also joined the club earlier in the month, with a contract running until 2029 following a short stint in Saudi Arabia.