After seven years at the renowned academy, where he trained alongside current stars like Pierre Kalulu and Amine Gouiri, Lepaul suddenly found himself without a club and without his greatest mentor. The dream of professional football seemed to have burst.
The Arduous Rebuilding in the Lower Leagues
Instead of giving up, Lepaul began the arduous rebuilding process in the lower echelons of French football. He signed with fourth-tier club SAS Épinal and immediately rediscovered his goal-scoring touch. He scored five goals in just eight games before the season was abruptly curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was followed by a two-year stint with third-tier club US Orléans, where he had to adapt to the rough climate of men's football. In 72 competitive matches, he scored 25 times, proving that his instinct in front of goal was unbroken, even if the path back to top-flight football still seemed long and arduous.
A triumphant return to Épinal, who had since been promoted to the third division, finally catapulted him into the spotlight:
With 14 goals in 20 matches, he was the league's top scorer at mid-season and secured a move to second-tier club Angers SCO in January 2024 for a modest transfer fee of 150,000 Euros.
The Explosion in the Ligue 1 Spotlight
At Angers, he immediately became a key figure and contributed significantly to their promotion to Ligue 1. However, the start in the top flight was initially bumpy. Up until late autumn, he had only played a single match for the full 90 minutes and was still searching for his place in the system.
The turnaround came with the turn of the year 2024/25: Suddenly, Lepaul seemed unable to stop scoring goals.
Five goals in four consecutive matches in the cup and league transformed him from a fringe player into an indispensable attacking leader and attracted the interest of bigger clubs.
This run was enough to convince Stade Rennes in the summer of 2025 to sign him for a transfer fee of 13.5 million Euros. Arnaud Pouille, the club's CEO, described him as "an instinctive player with a winning mentality. His unique career path shows that one should never give up on their goals."
Lepaul Can Flourish in Rennes
In Rennes, Lepaul quickly became a "real killer in front of goal," as former Stade Rennes coach Habib Beye called him. His ability to always be in the right place also makes him indispensable in Franck Haise's current system.
His excellent sense of space and his coolness in finishing, often with just one touch, are his greatest strengths and make him extremely efficient. Additionally, his work ethic and down-to-earth character make him particularly popular with the fans.
He truly cemented his place in the fans' hearts with his hat-trick in the 4-1 victory against Strasbourg in November 2025. "Some teams just suit you," Lepaul joked afterwards. "Strasbourg is from my home region, maybe that's why. But the joy of scoring goals is always the same."
Clear Commitment
At the end of his first full season with Stade Rennes, he recorded 20 goals and five assists. This (plus the one league goal he scored for Angers at the start of the 2025/26 season) was enough to win not only the Ligue 1 top scorer's crown but also a place in the league's "Team of the Year" – as well as attracting interest from all over Europe.
According to reports from "Foot Mercato," Atlético Madrid is said to have made an inquiry, and Benfica and Como were also reportedly interested in the striker.
However, Lepaul did not want to think about another transfer this summer – he currently feels too comfortable in his star role at Stade Rennes.
"My future is with Rennes. The next step for me is a full season with a club that plays in Europe. So that fits perfectly."
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