Minnesota United reportedly pursuing French leagues striker Adrien Hunou

A soccer website said the Loons have made an offer for the 27-year-old, someone the team is said to have pursued previously.

By Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune

February 5, 2021 at 4:08AM
573501338
Stade Rennais’ Adrien Hunou, right, challenged for the ball with Montpellier’s Damien Le Tallec, center, in a League One match on Aug. 29, 2020 at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, France. (David Vincent, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota United already has plucked MLS All-Star defender Romain Metanire and veteran defender Bakaye Dibassy from French leagues.

Now the Loons, with a glaring need at the striker position, appeared aimed at striker Adrien Hunou from French first-division club Stade Rennais FC.

International soccer website Goal reported on Thursday that the Loons made an offer for the just turned 27-year-old whose playing time has been limited recently. Hunou has been designated a substitute in his team's last three games, coming off the bench to play in one of them.

The Loons have pursued Hunou before, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Their current roster includes just one forward, former Reno 1868 FC player Foster Langsdorf, whom the Loons signed late last season. The Loons are likely to sign two forwards, probably one to a designated player spot.

Striker Luis Amarilla recently returned to an Ecuadorian league and Aaron Schoenfeld signed Thursday with expansion Austin FC after he spent one season in Minnesota.

Hunou has scored 36 goals in 154 games for Stade Rennais. In reduced playing time this season, he has scored four goals, once every 131 minutes.

Goal reported Hunou is interested in the Loons' pursuit of him and said he'd welcome living "the American dream" as Marseille's Romain Alessandrini did when he left for the L.A. Galaxy in 2017.

Hunou played on France's U-20, U-19 and U-18 national teams, but has expressed interest recently in playing for the Polish national team. His grandmother is from Poland.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune

More from Soccer

card image

Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.