Lorient announce Bamba Dieng signing, opening the door for Moffi sale

Ligue 1 club Lorient have decided to proceed with signing Senegalese striker Bamba Dieng from Marseille despite reservations raised during his medicals. 

Lorient had agreed to terms with Marseille over a transfer and had also agreed on personal terms with Dieng before the striker’s lingering knee problems flared up during his medicals as part of the signing process. 

It was initially believed that the concerns raised by the doctors in charge of the medicals would result in Lorient pulling out of the deal, just as Nice had done in the summer, but the club have made a U-turn and decided to conclude the transfer. 

The deal to bring Dieng to Lorient is believed to be worth an initial €7 million and add-ons that could rise to €10 million.

Dieng will join the first team immediately and will be thrilled to finally leave Marseille for a club where he has a decent shot at earning valuable playing time. 

The Dieng deal also opens the door to a potential departure for Super Eagles’ striker Terem Moffi from Lorient. 

Lorient are reluctant to let Moffi go unless a bid above their valuation comes in, especially without a replacemnent, but after signing Dieng, they might be willing to soften their stance, espcially as Moffi has also made it clear that he would like to leave. 

Dieng was initially offered as part of a deal by Marseille to sign Moffi which Lorient accepted, but Moffi’s insistance on joining Nice scuppered the deal. 

Marseille’s offer that was accepted was for €23 million plus Dieng, and now that Lorient has secured the signing of Dieng in a separate deal, they might be willing to accept Nice’s next offer for Moffi which is expeced to be more than €23m.