Former Nigeria youth international Simon Zenke in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has urged RC Lens midfielder Hamzat Ojediran to consider a loan move in January to aid his development and avoid stagnation in Ligue 1.
Ojediran, who represented Nigeria at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil in 2019, has endured a difficult end to 2025 at the French club.
The 21-year-old featured in 17 matches and scored one goal last season, but he is yet to play a single minute this campaign, with Lens manager Pierre Sage preferring other midfield options ahead of the Nigerian.
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Zenke, who had spells in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, believes the young midfielder needs regular first-team football to continue his growth.
“The boy is just 21, and at this stage, he should be playing first-team football in my opinion, and from the look of things, the coach has other ideas for now,” Zenke exclusively told Footy-Africa. “I will say he should talk to the club amicably to see if he can get a loan transfer to another team in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2. If possible, he can even try the Belgian league so that he can be playing games. Personally, I understand his predicament because I have been there before myself, so I understand.”
“He is a good player and I believe he is good enough to play, but the coach has the final say. However, Ojediran needs to play and get minutes at his age. It will help him in the long term. When he first joined them, I saw the potential. He was a bit raw in a few places, but you could see the potential in him. If I had the chance to speak with him, as a Nigerian and someone who has played in France too, I will suggest he seeks a loan move,” Zenke added.
Ojediran, now fully fit, faces an uphill task to break into the Lens starting XI due to the team’s strong form, making it difficult for Sage to make changes.
After 12 rounds of league games, Lens sit second on 25 points, behind Marseille on goal difference.
