Stade Rennais manager, Bruno Genesio insists Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana forced his way out of the French club.
The 20-year-old forward left Stade Rennais to join English Premier League strugglers Southampton on transfer deadline day. He signed a four-and-a-half year deal.
According to Genesio, the club wanted to keep Sulemana, but the Black Stars forward was desperate to leave.
“It's not that it never took. There were good beginnings, then periods of injury and poor form. A team that started to turn, to chain victories and it was more difficult for him," he said after Rennais game against Strasbourg.
"There was also impatience, because he is still a very young player. It still needs to be trained.
“He wanted to leave, it was not our case. But he wanted it so badly that at some point, it's not worth keeping a player who doesn't want to play for a club. I prefer to get a player who wants to come, who is motivated to play for his club."
Sulemana made 47 appearances for Stade Rennais and scored six goals for the Ligue 1 side.