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Lens busy in the transfer window ahead of Champions League return

RC Lens will return to the Champions League next season, and in preparation for their European campaign, the squad is being strengthened. We look at Les Sang et Or's business so far this summer.
L. ENTWISTLE
Published on 07/20/2026 at 10:00
3-minute read
Thorgan Hazard posing with a Lens shirt. Photo credit: RC Lens

RC Lens will return to the Champions League next season, and in preparation for their European campaign, the squad is being strengthened. We look at Les Sang et Or's business so far this summer.

Hazard returns

If there is a lesson to be learned from last summer's transfer, it is that experience cannot be neglected. Whilst all clubs are in the market for the next pépite, stalwarts certainly have their place, too. 

No team struck a better balance than Lens. Samson Baidoo and Mamadou Sangaré excelled in particular after making the move to the Bollaert-Delelis, but their youth and inexperience was counteracted by the signings of Florian Thauvin and, later in the season, Allan Saint-Maximin. Both had a lot of experience of Ligue 1 McDonald's prior to joining Lens and were key in helping the club to a second-place league finish and glory in the Coupe de France. 

The arrival of Thorgan Hazard represents a continuation of that strategy. The Belgian came through the ranks at Lens before joining his brother, Eden, at Chelsea. He never made his Ligue 1 McDonald's debut for Lens, but over the course of his career, he has accumulated 522 appearances, including 64 in European competition, whilst he has also represented Belgium on 47 occasions. 

The forward, who joins on a free transfer and will wear the No.9 shirt, has signed a two-year deal. "His sense of family and his simplicity brought us together. I felt his attachment and strong desire to wear Lens' colours in the Champions League during our talks," said Jean-Louis Leca. Lens' sporting director added that Hazard's return to his formative club was a "beautiful symbol". He will bolster a forward line that lost Saint-Maximin earlier in the summer. 

Cuisance's comeback

There is another familiar face returning to Lens. Michael Cuisance has been around the block. He has experienced highs and lows: from coming through at Nancy, earning an early move to Bayern Munich, winning the UCL, before having to build back his career in the lower tiers in Germany and Italy. At Hertha Berlin, Cuisance got his career back on track and the former Marseille loanee will now finally get the chance to play a prominent role in a Champions League campaign.

At 26, he is in his prime years and will have an important role in replacing departed former captain Adrien Thomasson.

There was also a departure in defence in the form of Malang Sarr. He has now been numerically replaced by Maik Nawrocki, who joins from Scottish side Celtic. The former Poland youth international spent last season on loan at Hannover. He has big boots to fill in the Lens defence. 

Whilst Nawrocki has not yet been capped by Poland's senior side, his new teammate, Michal Skoras (14 caps), has. Last season in Belgium's top flight, Skoras scored twice and registered eight assists for KAA Gent. "Michal's profile is perfectly Lens compatible," said Leca. 

He added, "At 26, he already has considerable experience because he has played nearly 50 European matches and has played in major competitions with Poland." A gruelling season awaits Lens and they are arming themselves for it.

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