Djimi Traore has joined Rennes on loan from Portsmouth with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.

The France-born 27-year-old Mali defender joined Pompey from Charlton in the summer but has failed to cement a first-team place and was surprisingly left out of his country's African Cup of Nations squad.

Traore can play at left back or in the middle and rose to prominence at Liverpool, where he spent seven seasons after leaving his hometown club Laval.

Rennes recently sold first-choice left back Erik Edman to Premier League strugglers Wigan.

Reda Maher / Eurosport