RC Lens midfielder Samson Baidoo sustained an injury during a pre-season friendly match against Charleroi on Saturday, according to reports from French outlet UL. The match, played at the Stade François-Blin in Avion, ended in a 2-2 draw with Abdallah Sima and Thorgan Hazard scoring for Lens.
Baidoo, who came on as a half-time substitute, was forced off the pitch due to the unspecified injury, casting a shadow over an otherwise positive pre-season outing for Lens. The club has yet to release details regarding the severity of the injury or the expected recovery time.
This pre-season fixture followed a victory against Boulogne-sur-Mer, and manager Dino Toppmöller utilized a completely different starting eleven in each match. Toppmöller is using these friendlies to assess his squad and fine-tune tactics ahead of the Trophee des Champions against Paris Saint-Germain on August 16th at the Stade Bollaert.
Baidoo joined Lens in 2023 for a reported fee of €6.5 million and spent last season on loan at Polish side Lechia Gdansk. The 22-year-old Ghanaian midfielder is a promising talent, and his potential absence could impact Lens’s midfield options as they prepare for a challenging season in Ligue 1 and European competition. Lens finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot. The injury to Baidoo represents a setback in Toppmöller’s preparations, and the club will be hoping for a swift recovery for the player.
