RC Lens Set for Financial Boost as Mammadov Promises Debt Repayment
By [Reporter Name], BBC Sport – France
Racing Club de Lens may soon see a vital injection of funds that could help stabilise its precarious financial situation. According to reports from L’Équipe, relayed by football.fr, the club’s majority shareholder, Azerbaijani businessman Hafiz Mammadov, has committed to repaying a portion of the club’s debts in the coming weeks.
The Ligue 1 outfit, currently under the leadership of coach Antoine Kombouaré, has been grappling with financial uncertainty for months. The difficulties have largely stemmed from delays in funding from Mammadov, whose business empire has faced scrutiny and setbacks.
However, there now appears to be a glimmer of hope. A payment of €1.5 million is reportedly expected soon—part of a larger €4 million sum that Mammadov has pledged to deliver by the end of October. This initial tranche could be a lifeline for a club that has been operating under tight financial constraints since its return to the French top flight.
The breakthrough may have come following a key diplomatic encounter. Gervais Martel, the president of RC Lens and a long-standing figure in the club’s leadership, recently met with the wife of the President of Azerbaijan. According to L’Équipe, this meeting played a role in unlocking the promised funds, signalling renewed commitment from the Azerbaijani investor.
For Antoine Kombouaré, who has been tasked with not only guiding Lens through the challenges of Ligue 1 but also rebuilding a competitive team, the news is particularly welcome. Limited financial resources have hampered squad development and raised concerns about the club’s ability to remain sustainable in France’s top tier.
If the funds are delivered as promised, they would not only provide immediate financial relief but also reinforce the club’s ability to make key decisions in the transfer market and improve infrastructure.
Lens fans, who have remained passionate and loyal despite off-field difficulties, will be watching closely. While this financial promise does not fully resolve the club’s long-term uncertainties, it represents a critical step toward restoring stability—and ensuring that the focus can return to football, where Kombouaré and his team continue to fight to keep the club’s proud traditions alive.
