Meet Lens' new signing, Michael Cuisance

Who is Michael Cuisance, the former Bayern Munich midfielder who returns to his native France by signing for RC Lens?

A rollercoaster career

Having come through the ranks at Strasbourg, Cuisance moved to AS Nancy at a very young age. However, before ever making an appearance for the first time, he made the short trip across the border to join Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany. It was the beginning of a meteoric rise. Two years at the Bundesliga side saw him make a move to German giants Bayern Munich.

He would go on to struggle, however. Across three seasons, he would make just 13 appearances in all competitions. Whilst he would not feature at all in the Bavarian club's Champions League triumph (2020), he was on the bench on seven occasions, including for the final, a 1-0 win over PSG.

"Pitfalls are part of a journey," he would tell L'Équipe back in 2023. "It is in these times that you really find out who your close ones are and who you can count on."

The France international, having failed to carve out a place at Bayern Munich, would return to France on a loan spell in 2020. At Marseille, he would become a regular, playing 30 times, but the move was not made permanent and he would make the move to Venezia, whilst also spending time in Serie B with Sampdoria.

Michaël Cuisance is back in Ligue 1! 💛❤️

📸 @RCLens pic.twitter.com/6dxLOgmBc4
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) June 26, 2026

But from his early career high, Cuisance struggled to find a home. He returned to Germany, attempting to do so, spending time on loan at second-tier club VfL Osnabrück before then making a permanent move to Hertha Berlin. In Germany's second tier, Cuisance has got back on track.

Last season in 2. Bundesliga, he made 35 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and registering six assists.

Back in 2023, he told L'Équipe that he wanted to "get back to the top level", but playing in Germany's top tier, it looked like a distant dream. "I want to play in the Champions League again. I won a lot of titles at Bayern but I wasn't a major actor. I don't really feel as though I won the Champions League, even though I was part of the team."

A reunion with Toppmoller

He will hope it will be different this time. Cuisance has fought back from spells in the second tiers of German and Italian football to return to the UCL with Lens, who have qualified for the tournament thanks to their second-place finish in Ligue 1 McDonald's last season.

Injury issues have also been a big part of Cuisance's undulating story of highs and lows. He will hope those issues are behind him. And with Les Sang et Or, with whom he has signed until 2030, he will reunite with a former manager, Dino Toppmoller. The German, who worked with Cuisance at Bayern Munich, has been hired as Lens' new manager.

After a meteoric early rise, Cuisance has endured difficult seasons, but at 26, he is in his prime years and now preparing for another UCL campaign.

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