Former Golden Eaglets player joins Lens on four-year deal

Former Nigeria U17 midfielder Hamzat Ojediran has signed a four-year contract with French top-flight club Racing Club Lens.

The defensive midfielder made the move from Debrecen in a club-record €1.5 million deal for foreign players at the Hungarian side.

Ojediran honed his skills at the Emmanuel Amuneke Academy in Nigeria before moving to Europe, where he joined Albanian club KF Egnatia in August 2022.

In February 2023, he secured a season-long loan transfer to Debrecen, which was followed by a permanent €45,000 move to the Hungarian club in the summer of 2023.

During his time with Debrecen, Ojediran made 34 appearances, scoring 3 goals and providing 3 assists. He also earned the 2023/2024 Player of the Season award before making his high-profile transfer to France.

Known as a well-rounded midfielder with strong defensive and attacking capabilities, Ojediran’s arrival at RC Lens has been met with enthusiasm.

“We are pleased to announce the signing of Hamzat Ojediran for the next four seasons,” said RC Lens manager Frank Haise.

“A revelation in the Hungarian championship in 2023/24, Hamzat is a true force of nature. An explosive and athletic midfielder, he is an aggressive ball-winner in the good sense of the word.

“His determination and commitment on the pitch correspond exactly to what is expected of an RC Lens player.

“Welcome Hamzat!”

The 20 year-old is the fourth Nigerian to have played for the Ligue 1 club, following in the footsteps of Emmanuel Akwuegbu, Wilson Oruma and John Utaka.

Ojediran made his debut in a 5-minute appearance in RC Lens’ 3-0 win over Premier League side Leicester City in a pre-season game on Saturday.