Ex-Newcastle United defender Massadio Haïdara has signed a deal with RC Lens of France.
Haïdara was released from us at the end of last season after he didn’t do enough to earn a new contract here bringing an end to his five and a half years association with us.
Initially, upon joining us from Nancy in the January 2013 transfer window that saw us sign a glut of French players, the Frenchman showed great potential in my eyes with his running and play from left-back before his career here was effectively ended by that disgraceful unpunished knee-high tackle by Callum McManaman when we faced his Wigan side just a couple of months later.
The handful of appearances in the five years that followed due to injury and fitness issues just didn’t hit the same heights which then ended with him being released.
Haïdara played over fifty games for us and goes back to France having signed a three-year contract.