Lhe ceremony was as moving as it was unprecedented, this August 31, 2022. At the end of a match of the 5e day of Ligue 1, Seko Fofana, midfielder and captain of RC Lens, formalized the extension of his contract. In a Bollaert stadium plunged into darkness then lit up by a few fireworks, the player and his managers sat around a table in the central circle to sign the documents.
Coach Franck Haise even brought him a jersey displaying the year 2025, the planned end of the Ivorian’s new commitment, coveted by some posh clubs. After two good seasons since its return to the elite, Lens would finish the season which started in second place.
Unfortunately, in football, attachments are as illusory as contractual deadlines. The following summer, Fofana answered the call of the petrodollars and joined Al-Nassr FC, a Saudi club which took part in the vast recruitment operation intended to make the Saudi Pro League (SPL) a championship « all stars ».
Small transfer window turned big
Despite nearly 1 billion euros spent in 2023, the Saudi project was already floundering six months later, and a wave of returns was beginning, notably from still young players whom we were surprised to see put aside promising careers.
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