Stade Rennes annouces signing of free-agent midfielder Yoann Gourcuff

Yoann Gourcuff is going back to where he started.

The 29-year-old French midfielder, who became a free agent after his contract with Lyon expired this summer, has signed a one-year deal with Stade Rennes, the club announced on Monday.

Gourcuff, however, is not immediately available as he is recovering from a foot injury.

He began his professional career at Rennes, playing as a youth and then graduating to its senior team in 2003.

Once anointed the successor to Zinedine Zidane, Gourcuff had his pick of European clubs, but he joined AC Milan in 2006.

In 2007, despite not playing much, he earned a Champions League winner's medal as the Rossoneri beat Liverpool in the final.

In a search for more playing time, Gourcuff returned to France in 2008 to play for Bordeaux on an initial loan basis. In the 2008-09 season, he won the league double while being named the Ligue 1 player of the year.

His exploits in southwestern France led to a €22-million move to Lyon in 2010. But his career stalled, and he suffered several injuries over the next five seasons, limiting his appearances and leaving Lyon no choice but to release him at the end of his contract.