Estéban Lepaul's name sits at the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts this season, and if you've watched Rennes with any regularity, that fact comes as no surprise. The young centre-forward has grown into the club's first-choice striker, carrying the attack with the kind of conviction that makes coaches breathe easy when team sheets are filled out.

What separates Lepaul from other forwards competing for top-scorer honours is the clarity of his role. Rennes haven't had to rotate around him, wonder about his fitness, or search for alternatives. He is the man. That consistency of selection reflects the trust the coaching staff have placed in him — and he has repaid it by putting the ball in the net more often than anyone else in France's top flight.

Leading an attack in Ligue 1 is rarely straightforward. The division is competitive, and defences are organised. Yet Lepaul has cut through those challenges week after week, holding his place at the summit of the scoring rankings. There is a composure to his finishing and an intelligence to his movement that marks him out as a striker with more than pace and power in his arsenal.

For Rennes, having a reliable focal point up front changes how the whole team operates. Wide players know where to aim their crosses, midfielders can time runs in behind knowing there's a presence to link up with, and set-piece routines are built around a striker the squad genuinely believes in. Lepaul has become that player — the one the system bends toward.

With the season still running, the question isn't whether Lepaul belongs among Ligue 1's finest forwards. He has already answered that. The conversation now is about whether he can maintain this level through to the final whistle of the campaign — and on current evidence, there is every reason to think he can.