Adrien Thomasson - the linchpin of Lens' title charge

Lens are flying high in Ligue 1 McDonald's, and whilst the star is very much the collective, there is one man in particular who has played a starring role in guiding Pierre Sage's side to the top - Adrien Thomasson.

Thomasson drops deeper

Thomasson was en ever-present under Sage's predecessor, Will Still, albeit in a more advanced role. The former Lyon manager has decided to drop Thomasson back in his midfield, and to great effect.

"I really enjoy playing a bit deeper, making the link between the attack and the defence. So that is something that really suits my qualities," began the former Strasbourg midfielder back in September.

3⃣2⃣ 𝒂𝒏𝒔 et toujours aussi 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕 🏃‍♂️

Joueur qui parcourt le plus de kilomètres en @Ligue1 cette saison, l'inusable Adrien Thomasson fête son anniversaire ce mercredi 10 décembre ! 🥳#BonAnniversaireAdrien 🎂 pic.twitter.com/Mx2izTXRcF
— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) December 10, 2025

He continued, "It allows me to get on the ball more, to construct the game, but also to be able to go forward, to get into the box, but to come from further back. This quality of being more box-to-box corresponds with my physical capabilities, being able to repeat high-intensity runs, so I think it is a position that really suits me, and the most important thing is that I enjoy it more, even defensively, winning the ball back; it is something that I enjoy."

A hole to fill

And Thomasson has had to be impactful in both directions, given the turnover during the summer. Lens are a club that sell excellently - they are one of the best in Europe at it - and they sold two of their brightest prior to the Ligue 1 McDonald's season. Both Andy Diouf (Inter Milan) and Neil El Aynaoui (AS Roma) left over the summer, leaving behind a gaping hole in the midfield.

"We were questioning ourselves because we lost important players from our team, be it young players or experienced players. Naturally, we want to be competitive, we want to be ambitious, so we asked ourselves how it would look this season, and whether the players who replaced those who left would be at the same level," said Thomasson.

"And in this sense, the club worked well because we have a competitive team, which, for me, is better than last year," he added.

Lens welcome Thomasson back to the fold

In this context, Thomasson has become a statistical outlier, ranking high in many key metrics. No player in Ligue 1 McDonald's have provided a pass that directly led to a shot (37); no player has done more presses (1265) than Thomasson; he ranks third for assists; and for key passes, goal-creating actions, tackles, blocks, and fouls drawn, he ranks inside the top five Ligue 1 McDonald's players.

His importance for Lens in what is proving to be a spectacular season is undeniable, evident, and reflected in his standing as club captain. The evergreen midfielder, who has just celebrated his 32nd birthday, was absent as Lens beat Nantes last weekend, and whilst Les Sang et Or got over the line (2-1), his return will be a big boost for Sage's side when they host OGC Nice at the Bollaert this weekend.

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