In September, Albert Grønbæk boasted about Bodø/Glimt and Norwegian clubs in front of a full Danish press corps. By then, the 23-year-old had surprisingly played his way to a place in the Danish national team squad – and impressed. Much of the cred just got Glimt and the Eliteserien. Grønbæk was signed by Ligue 1 club Rennes in the summer, where Glimt had been the big springboard for the Dane. Within a few months, everything turned around at the French club.
In came coach Jorge Sampaoli in November, for Grønbæk the transfer from Kjetil Knutsen and Julien Stephan to the Argentine hot-headed stopper was out of the question.
On January 21, Grønbæk signed for Southampton on loan for the rest of the season. Now the Dane says he has closed the door for good to Rennes.
“Rennes is a finished chapter. It was crucial that the style of play under Jorge Sampaoli didn’t suit me. Therefore, both the club and I agreed that it was best for me to find something new. Now I’m focused on being at Southampton, where I want to develop and make myself even better,” Grønbæk told Viaplay.
On January 30, Jorge Sampaoli was fired. By then, the Argentine had been in the job for less than three months and steered Rennes on a steady course towards relegation – and pushed Grønbæk out on the way.
