Toulouse turns €4.5M investment into €28M windfall as Cresswell heads to Rennes

Toulouse FC is about to flip a defender for roughly six times what it paid. Charlie Cresswell, the 23-year-old English centre-back who arrived from Leeds United for around €4.5 million just two years ago, is set to join Stade Rennais FC in a deal valued at approximately €28 million, including €3 million in potential bonuses. The deal structure and who gets paid Rennes has agreed in principle to a €25 million base fee plus €3 million in performance-related bonuses for Cresswell. He’s expected to undergo a medical before signing a five-year contract with the club. But Toulouse isn’t the only winner here. Leeds United, Cresswell’s former club, holds a 15% sell-on clause from when they sold him in July 2024. That entitles Leeds to approximately £2.6 million, or around €3 million, from this transaction. Why Cresswell’s value exploded When Cresswell left Leeds for Toulouse in July 2024, he was a promising but unproven talent looking for regular first-team minutes. Ligue 1 provided exactly that. His performances in France were strong enough to attract attention from some of England’s biggest clubs. Brighton, Crystal Palace, and Manchester United all reportedly showed interest in the young...