Football / Transfer Market: RC Lens in talks with 5 players!
If the Ligue 1 season has not yet provided all its answers, RC Lens is already hard at work for the summer transfer window. The northern club is already in discussions with five players.
After an incredible 2022-23 season that saw them finish 2nd in Ligue 1 behind PSG, RC Lens was inevitably under scrutiny, especially after the departures of Seko Fofana and Lois Openda. And the season has been eventful, with a third place in their Champions League group and a fine victory against Arsenal, but a cruel elimination in the Europa League against Fribourg and a current 6th place in Ligue 1, which has somewhat disappointed the Lens supporters.
Internally as well, the Artois club has not been spared, with the departure of Grégory Thil and the arrival of Frederic Hebert as recruitment coordinator. After a winter transfer window marked by the real or fake departure of Massadio Haïdara, RC Lens is working behind the scenes to prepare for next season. After officially announcing the extension of Facundo Medina a few days ago, the northern club has completed the signing of Burkina Faso international goalkeeper from Charleroi, Hervé Koffi, as the backup goalkeeper for a fee of €2.5 million.
This arrival will be the first of many as Lens’ intention is to strengthen in all areas of the game. In defense, RC Lens must anticipate the likely departure of their Austrian rock Kevin Danso. As we write, no firm offers have yet arrived on Arnaud Pouille’s desk, but the summer will be long and there will be many suitors. To anticipate and avoid strong disappointments in the summer, the Lens recruitment team has set its sights on replacing Danso, namely Carlos Teran. According to our information, the Colombian U23 international who plays for the Chicago Fire fits perfectly with the needs of the club coached by Frank Haise.
Solid in duels, good in the air, this big boy of 1.88 meters and 85 kilograms has all the characteristics of the modern central defender. A starter in MLS since 2022, Carlos Teran wants to join Europe and has a good chance of landing in Artois this summer, especially as discussions are currently underway between the various parties. The promising Colombian may not arrive alone this summer as another young and promising defender is also close to signing for Lens. Sidi Bane, a 20-year-old Senegalese central defender who plays for BATE Borisov in Belarus, has caught the eye of the RC Lens recruitment team and is also close to joining Lens, as confirmed by a source close to the club.
The northern club has therefore decided to focus on recruiting players with high potential well known to savvy observers, but ultimately little known to the general public. This is also the case with a third target who plays in the National side of Sochaux. Tireless dribbler and key man for the Doubs club in the National, Alex Daho (20 years old) is one of the great revelations of the third division championship. Arriving late at the Sochaux academy, the lively Franco-Ivorian has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in 26 matches. But it is above all his ability to make the difference with the ball at his feet that should delight the Lens supporters. While the deal is not completely sealed, it is very much on track.
The defensive midfielder position, which has never really been filled since Cheick Doucouré’s departure to Crystal Palace in 2022, will also be strengthened. The arrival of the promising Ivorian from Troyes, Abdoulaye Kanté (18 years old), who has already played 18 matches in Ligue 2 with the Aubois club while he was playing a few months ago at Montfermeil, is progressing in the right direction. His profile as a warrior who never gives up, reminiscent of Doucouré’s, should do a lot of good to the midfield which is likely to be overhauled during the summer.
However, there is a well-known Ligue 1 player who is in talks with Lens, a certain Rafik Guitane. A former great hope of French football recruited at great expense by Stade Rennais and since passed through numerous clubs, the new Algerian international has been thriving at Estoril since the beginning of the season where he arrived from Reims. With 5 goals and 3 assists in 29 matches in the Portuguese Liga, the former Havre player, whose name has been mentioned insistently by Benfica Lisbon, could make his return to Ligue 1 through the front door at Lens. It should be noted that Guitane has a release clause of €5 million.
As we can see, RC Lens does not plan to waste time in the summer transfer window. While some significant departures (wanted or unwanted) are to be expected this summer, the Lens recruitment team is already hard at work to attract some future talents to the Stade Bollaert. The goal is obviously to have the same success as with Neil El Aynaoui, who arrived quietly from Nancy for €700,000 and is now an undisputed starter in the midfield of the Artois club…
