Rumors around Mike Maignan's future are currently running hot -- the AC Milan goalkeeper has reportedly received interest from Premier League clubs and been on Bayern Munich's shortlist for potential successors to club legend Manuel Neuer.
But while the rumor mill spins, the Frenchman has made a different kind of transfer official: His virtual likeness is now available as one of the playable avatars in Rematch.
Developed by French company Sloclap, the soccer game puts players in control of a single athlete on the field, tasking them to work together with their teammates to score. Aside from vaguely using soccer's core rules, the title has very little to do with the actual sport, though -- often described as Rocket League without cars, the game takes a lenient approach to official rules and the existence of physics, making it a more arcade-y experience than simulations like EA Sports FC or eFootball.
As such, Sloclap hasn't been in a hurry to add officially licensed players or clubs into its game. However, Maignan's advent into the title opens a new door for collaborations between athletes and the developer.
In a short message to his fans, Maignan told them to "use him wisely" and be "ruthless" on the field. "Bring on your A game, I'll be watching," he added.