The earthquake seems to be confirmed in Lens. Brice Samba, captain of the Northerners, and much more than that, would be on the verge of signing up with Rennes and leaving the Sang et Or. It was his coach, Will Still, who confirmed it this Friday at the conference of press : “Brice made it known that he wanted to leave the clubconceded the 32-year-old Belgian coach. I learned this from him during the holidays, he told me 'Coach, I received an offer, here is what I want to do'. We are losing an important element.”
According to the daily L'Equipe, Lens and Rennes have reached an agreement in principle concerning the transfer of the goalkeeper three times selected for the France team. Arriving in Pas-de-Calais in the summer of 2022, Brice Samba is one of the darlings of the Bollaert stadium. He was one of the great architects of the second place snatched in Ligue 1 during the 2022/2023 season. This desire to leave mid-season “is not an ideal situation“, a reconnu Will Still, mais “from the moment his choice is made, there is no more to discuss. We are not going to keep a player who no longer wants to be there.“
Brice Samba against Nantes, November 9, 2024.
Credit: Getty Images
SAMBA CForced to stay in Lens?
“He's a personality, a great player, but he will be replaced“, assured the coach, specifying that it is his understudy Hervé Koffi, 58 caps with Burkina Faso, who will be in the Lens cages on Sunday against Toulouse. “No player will be more important than the collective, especially not in Lens“, added the Belgian coach, who arrived this summer from Reims.
But this departure which seemed complete was called into question a few hours after the statements of the Lensois coach. According to RMC Sport, the RCL has decided to cancel the transfer of its goalkeeper in the face of Rennes' communication policy. The northern club would even be ready to leave the international goalkeeper on the bench until the end of the season, again according to our colleagues.
A series which is therefore not over and which could animate the winter transfer window of the two clubs for many more weeks. So will Samba stay in Lens or will he go to Rennes? Response in the coming days.
