Hamzat Ojediran hasn’t played any game for RC Lens in any competition this season…
Former Nigerian and Strasbourg forward Simon Zenke has urged Hamzat Ojediran to leave RC Lens after struggling to get playing time with Le Sang et this season, Soccernet.ng reports.
The former Flying Eagle joined RC Lens in August 2024 from Hungarian side, Debrecen, for a fee of €1.35m. In that season, he played 17 games and scored one goal.
However, this campaign is another story entirely. The 21-year-old hasn’t played any top-flight games for Pierre Sage’s side.
Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!
Instead, the former Egnatia midfielder has played five times for RC Lens’ B team, scoring one goal in those games.
Zenke tells Ojediran to force RC Lens’ exit
Zenke played 54 games in France, across their first and second tiers of football, and knowing the quality of the Ligue 1, has told Ojediran to fight for a move to get playing time, in the hopes of getting his career back on track.
“The boy is just 21, and at this stage, he should be playing first-team football in my opinion, and from the look of things, the coach has other ideas for now,” the 36-year-old told Footy-Africa.
“I will say he should talk to the club amicably to see if he can get a loan transfer to another team in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2.
“If possible, he can even try the Belgian league so that he can be playing games.
“Personally, I understand his predicament because I have been there before myself, so I understand.
“He is a good player, and I believe he is good enough to play, but the coach has the final say.
“However, Ojediran needs to play and get minutes at his age. It will help him in the long term.
“When he first joined them, I saw the potential. He was a bit raw in a few places, but you could see the potential in him.
“If I had the chance to speak with him, as a Nigerian and someone who has played in France too, I would suggest he seeks a loan move,” Zenke concluded.
RC Lens are currently third on the French Ligue 1 table with 25 points from 12 games. They’re level on points with Olympique de Marseille and two points behind Paris Saint-Germain.