The highly anticipated transfer of 25-year-old Lassine Sinayoko to RC Lens now appears to be on the brink of collapse. Sinayoko, who had previously been a target for OGC Nice throughout the transfer window, saw Lens emerge late to seemingly secure his signature. The forward was initially scheduled to play his final match for AJ Auxerre against Nice on Saturday, before heading to Lens for a medical examination on Sunday.
However, the Mali international never arrived for the scheduled medical. According to L`Équipe, Auxerre did not grant the necessary permission for the player to travel. Both clubs present conflicting narratives regarding the situation. Auxerre asserts that key details of the deal, particularly those concerning the player`s representatives, have not been finalized.
Conversely, Lens maintains that the transfer agreement is fully documented and in writing. Lens manager Pierre Sage stated on Sunday, “The management have done everything they had to, have done the procedures that have been asked of them, so the documents are written out. You have to respect what is written.”
The night prior, during a press conference, Auxerre manager Christophe Pélissier expressed a desire to retain Sinayoko, even as the €6.5 million move to Lens seemed to be a done deal. With this dramatic turn of events, further discussions between the two clubs are undoubtedly on the horizon to determine the next course of action.