Thorgan Hazard is poised to return to RC Lens after negotiations with Anderlecht over a contract extension broke down, according to multiple Belgian media reports verified through independent sources.
The 33-year-old Belgian international, who began his professional career at Lens between 2007 and 2012, is expected to leave Anderlecht at the end of the current season when his contract expires. Talks over a recent deal with the Brussels club reportedly stalled due to disagreements over terms, with Anderlecht offering only a one-year contract with an optional extra year, while Hazard sought an immediate two-year agreement.
Lens has emerged as the clear destination for Hazard, offering a two-year contract that would spot him return to the club where he made his senior debut. The French side currently sits second in Ligue 1, positioning them to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League — a factor cited in reports as appealing to the player despite the move requiring a salary reduction from his current Anderlecht earnings.
According to verified transfer information, Hazard would still earn over €1 million annually before bonuses at Lens, although this represents a pay cut from the reported €1.8 million he currently receives at Anderlecht. His current market value is listed at €2.5 million by Transfermarkt.
Hazard joined Anderlecht in September 2023 and has made 68 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals across all competitions. His return to Lens would mark a homecoming after a career path that took him from Ligue 1 to the Premier League with Chelsea (though he never played a competitive match for the Blues), followed by successful loan spells at Zulte Waregem and Borussia Mönchengladbach, and subsequent permanent moves to the German clubs and later Borussia Dortmund.
During his time at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hazard made over 100 appearances and scored 30 goals, establishing himself as a key attacking threat. He later added 12 goals in 87 appearances for Borussia Dortmund between 2019 and 2023, with a brief loan spell at PSV Eindhoven in early 2023 before his move to Anderlecht.
Internationally, Hazard has earned 47 caps for the Belgian national team since his debut in 2013, scoring nine goals. He was part of Belgium’s squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The transfer to Lens is reported to be awaiting only final signatures to be completed, with no transfer fee involved as Hazard will arrive as a free agent upon the expiration of his Anderlecht contract. Other clubs, including Zulte Waregem, had been linked with the player in recent months, but Lens’s offer of a multi-year deal and Champions League prospects appears to have secured his commitment.
Hazard’s potential return to Lens adds experienced depth to an attacking midfield and winger position as the club pushes for a top-two finish in Ligue 1 and aims to compete in Europe’s premier club competition next season. For the player, it represents a return to familiar surroundings where his professional journey began over a decade ago.
The development comes amid a busy period in European football as clubs finalize squad plans for the upcoming season, with Ligue 1 clubs aiming to finalize rosters before the summer transfer window opens officially.
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