Gourcuff named new Rennes coach for next season

"Christian Gourcuff will be the Rennes coach," Ruello told French regional newspaper Ouest-France on Tuesday.

"We have not talked about the conditions, they are not of interest, but the sporting project of Rennes."

He added that Gourcuff's target will be to give the team the identity that they "have been looking for for a long time".

Gourcuff is best remembered in France for the 25 years he spent coaching Lorient across three different spells from 1982-2014, but he also had an ill-fated season at Rennes in 2001-2002 that ended with the club finishing 12th in the top flight.

The 61-year-old quit as coach of the Algeria national team in April, hoping to return to the helm of a top French club.

Gourcuff's return will see current coach Rolland Courbis pushed out the door at the end of the season, having only taken over from the sacked Philippe Montanier in January.

Rennes are currently seventh in the Ligue 1 table with one game remaining this season, and have no chance of qualifying for Europe for next season.