The Lens management are certainly not lacking in ambition in the transfer market. Having made a big splash last season by attracting high-profile players, Racing Club de Lens’s recruitment team is actively working on a sensational return: that of Loïs Openda. Struggling at Juventus Turin, the Belgian striker could return to the warmth of the Bollaert to relaunch his career, provided he can reach a complex financial agreement with the Italian club and overcome stiff competition.
Last season, Jean-Louis Leca really spoilt the Lens supporters by pulling out all the stops to sign Florian Thauvin and Allan Saint-Maximin. As genuine ‘impact players’, they played a major part in the Sang et Or’s superb season. Whilst the board is now insisting that it will not be splashing the cash this summer, that does not stop the recruitment team from sniffing out some excellent deals. According to our sources, the current aim is to bring a familiar face back home: Loïs Openda, who left nothing but excellent memories in the North.
The Belgian international (aged 26) had literally burst onto the scene for Lens during the 2022–2023 season, scoring 21 goals and providing 4 assists in 38 matches. These outstanding performances earned him a high-profile €40 million transfer to RB Leipzig. In Germany, he confirmed his status as a formidable goalscorer (41 goals and 18 assists in 93 matches). But things went off the rails last year. On loan at Juventus with a mandatory buy-out clause of €42.5m, Openda endured a disastrous season, scoring just two meagre goals in 34 matches. This dip in form even cost him a place in the 2026 World Cup squad.
Covering his wages: a major hurdle for RC Lens
Today, Juventus no longer count on him and are actively seeking a loan move for him, in the hope that he can turn his form around and regain his market value. Several European suitors are on the lookout, but RC Lens have some strong arguments in their favour to secure the deal. Loïs Openda remains deeply attached to Bollaert and sees it as the ideal environment to relaunch his career, much like Odsonne Edouard did recently. Furthermore, the Artois-based club is offering him a key role, guaranteed playing time and, above all, the opportunity to compete in the prestigious Champions League. This, in essence, is the pitch Jean-Louis Leca has been making to him over the past few days.
However, finalising the deal remains particularly complex. The main stumbling block is the salary of the Belgian international striker (33 caps), who is under contract with Juventus until 2030, which is completely at odds with Lens’s wage structure. For the deal to go through, it will be essential to find common ground that obliges Juventus to cover a significant portion of the player’s wages. Lens will have to manoeuvre skilfully to wrap up this blockbuster deal and definitively outmanoeuvre some very aggressive competition (Coventry are also in talks with Juventus). The coming days look set to be decisive for what could be the coup of the summer in Artois.
Italy: why the appointments of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo change everything for Pep Guardiola
Following their World Cup failure and the deepest crisis in its recent history, the Nazionale is launching a revolution. By entrusting the project to Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, the FIGC is banking on two figures capable of rebuilding the team’s identity, restoring the credibility of Italian football and reigniting the Azzurri’s ambition.
Italy’s sporting disaster sent shockwaves whose impact extended far beyond the national team alone. The news of another failure to qualify for the World Cup confirmed a deep-seated crisis that had been simmering for several years, and the fiasco against Bosnia finally convinced even the last defenders of the status quo that radical change had become essential. In the weeks that followed, the Federation weathered a veritable internal storm, with widespread scrutiny of its operations, methods and governance. Several officials, including Gabriele Gravina and Gianluigi Buffon, stepped down from their posts; others were forced out; and the idea of a complete overhaul gradually gained ground. Giovanni Malagò’s appointment as president of the FIGC marked the starting point of this long-anticipated revolution. The new head of Italian football immediately promised structural reforms affecting both player development and the technical organisation of the national teams. However, before turning ideas into action, it was first necessary to find the people capable of embodying this renewal. The rebuild could not rely on anonymous technocrats or on leaders associated with recent failures. It required strong, credible figures capable of restoring confidence to a movement that had lost its bearings.
It was in this spirit that the appointments of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo were made official on Saturday evening. This decision immediately changed perceptions of the federation’s project. The FIGC did not merely replace a few executives; it sent a clear message to the whole of Italian football. The era of minor adjustments is over, and a period of complete overhaul is beginning. By entrusting the technical side to Maldini whilst involving Leonardo in the decision-making process, Malagò has placed two globally recognised figures at the heart of this new cycle. Their remit extends far beyond simply appointing the next national team manager. They will need to rebuild an identity, coordinate the youth development system, strengthen ties with the clubs and restore the credibility of an institution weakened by poor results. This decision also symbolises a cultural shift. For too long, Italian football has given the impression of operating in a vacuum, trapped by its habits and power struggles. The arrival of two figures who have operated at the very highest level in Europe brings a fresh perspective and a modern vision of sports management. Through this partnership, the Federation is seeking to recapture the ambition that was once its strength and to put the Nazionale back at the heart of the national project.
The Pep Guardiola dream lives on
The choice of Paolo Maldini seems particularly apt, given how well his profile matches the current needs of Italian football. Few figures enjoy such credibility amongst the public, players and club officials. His career with the national team gives him natural authority when it comes to discussing the identity of the Nazionale. His experience as a club official further enhances his credibility. During his time at Milan, he played a part in rebuilding a club that was emerging from several years of instability. He helped build a competitive squad, restore a culture of high standards and put the Rossoneri back on the European football map. This success is now one of his key selling points. The man with 126 caps does not arrive with a reputation based solely on his immense playing career. He arrives with proof that he also knows how to build a team. His return comes at a time when Italy is seeking, precisely, to rediscover a clear direction.
For years, the Rossoneri legend has been among those warning of Italian football’s gradual loss of identity, the difficulties in youth development and the system’s inability to prepare for the future. Seeing him take the helm of the technical project gives the impression that this criticism may lead to concrete solutions. His presence also represents a powerful tool for reconciliation with the supporters, many of whom have lost confidence following the national team’s successive disappointments. The partnership with Leonardo further strengthens the project’s scope. The Brazilian brings a complementary skill set that could prove decisive in the years to come. His international network is vast; his experience at several major European clubs has enabled him to develop a global vision of modern football; and his ability to persuade is well established. His role could become essential in identifying young talents of multiple nationalities, as well as in building more effective bridges with Serie A clubs. Leonardo also brings a keen understanding of the new dynamics of world football. This is an area in which Italy has fallen hopelessly behind.
Together, the two men – who played alongside each other at AC Milan and know each other inside out – offer a rare combination of prestige, expertise and credibility. Their first task will now be to select the manager who will lead this revival. There are several candidates under consideration, but one idea is already dominating the discussions: that of attempting the impossible with Pep Guardiola. The venture seems ambitious, almost unrealistic, but it fits perfectly with the spirit instilled by Maldini and Leonardo. Their arrival reflects a desire to move away from cautious solutions and rediscover a sense of daring, despite persistent rumours surrounding a return for Roberto Mancini or Antonio Conte, as well as Andrea Pirlo or Stefano Pioli. After years of decline, Italy seems determined to aim for the top once again. The duo chosen by Malagò offers no guarantee of success, but it at least restores to Italian football something it had gradually lost: a strong, confident vision capable of inspiring support.
