RC Lens had aimed to renew the loan of Juma Bah from Manchester City this summer, seeing him as a key target to bolster their defense after the winter departures of Kevin Danso and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Bah spent the latter half of the 2024/25 season with Les Sang et Or, making a quick impact. His inclusion in the starting lineup helped the team break a four-game losing streak and secure an 8th-place finish, just five points shy of European qualification spots.
Lens had hoped to persuade Manchester City that continuing Bah`s development in Lens was the best course. However, they were unable to meet the Premier League club`s financial terms. Manchester City reportedly demanded a €2 million loan fee, a price Lens found excessive given they would only be developing a player who would return to his parent club at the end of the loan period.
