Rodez Aveyron Football enters a period of attacking transition following the departure of their top scorer and the arrival of a new forward. The club, currently fourth in the Ligue 2 standings with seven points, travels to Metz this Saturday, September 5th, for their first match without Ibrahima Baldé.

How will Rodez replace Ibrahima Baldé?

The confirmed departure of Ibrahima Baldé to FC Lorient on Tuesday leaves a significant gap in Rodez's attack. According to Centre Presse Aveyron, the 23-year-old forward had scored half of the club's ten goals across the first four matchdays of the season. Manager Didier Santini must now rely on an offensive line largely rebuilt this summer.

For the trip to Saint-Symphorien, Santini indicated he would start the duo of Kenny Nagera and Mathis Touho. "Mat' and Kenny are more advanced in the sense that they did the entire preseason with us," the coach explained, as quoted by the same outlet. He also called for patience, recalling that Baldé himself was not a starter upon his arrival and that other forwards like Tawfik Bentayeb took several months to establish themselves.

Who is Marco Essimi, Rodez's new signing?

Rodez Aveyron Football officially announced the signing of forward Marco Essimi this Friday. The 27-year-old player has signed a three-year contract and arrives from the Portuguese club Alverca, where he had played four matches since his transfer in June.

Essimi has an atypical career path, having played in France's National 1 and National 2 before his first professional experience at Dunkerque. During the 2025-2026 season with the northern club, he scored five goals and provided four assists in nineteen Ligue 2 matches. The Ruthénois club is banking on his versatility, dribbling ability, and capacity to be decisive in the penalty area.

Why did Baldé's departure attract so much interest?

Ibrahima Baldé's statistical explosion at the start of the season generated significant interest in the transfer market. The website africassoccer.com reports that Ligue 1 side FC Lorient had been monitoring the player after his five goals in four matches. His average of a goal every 69 minutes in the league clearly convinced Les Merlus.

The British site West Ham World even claims that West Ham United made a late attempt to sign him, as did Rangers in Scotland. The reported price for the forward, who remains under contract until June 2028, was around £2.5 million according to these reports. Baldé joined Rodez in July 2024 from Lens and had scored twelve Ligue 2 goals last season.

What is Rodez's current sporting context?

RAF approaches this fifth matchday in a comfortable league position. With two wins, one draw, and one loss, the team is fourth and trails leader Saint-Étienne by five points. Their offensive record of ten goals scored and seven conceded demonstrates an effective attack, even after Baldé.

The team's recent form has been mixed (Loss, Win, Draw, Win) and they will need to confirm it against a promoted Metz side. After this away fixture, the Sang et Or will return to the Stade Paul-Lignon to host Grenoble, who are thirteenth, on September 11th. You can view the full schedule on our fixtures page.