Lorient's Bamba Dieng: "I don't regret leaving Marseille"
Bamba Dieng: "I don't regret leaving Marseille". The Senegalese striker has made his debut for Lorient.
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A new chapter begins for Bamba Dieng. The Senegalese striker has made his debut for Lorient. In the 4-2 Ligue 1 defeat to Reims, the African champion came on as a second-half substitute (69th minute). It is a fresh start for the Lion of Teranga, who is delighted to be at a club that appears to count fully on him.
Frozen out at OM at the start of the season, Bamba Dieng had eventually won a place back in Igor Tudor's squad. However, he still wasn't among the Croatian coach's first-choice players. "After the failed transfer to Nice, I went back to work in Marseille and here I am at Lorient. I don't regret not staying at Marseille," the 22-year-old told Ouest France. "We weren't spoken to about a contract extension. I stayed focused to help the team and get more playing time. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned and that's why I came here. That's football, there are difficult moments."
Related story: OM: Bamba Dieng to Lorient, it's official
Bamba Dieng's move to Lorient was far from a given. The Senegalese striker was signed for a fee of 10 million euros. Les Merlus wanted to bring down the player's price because of a knee problem, the same problem that had derailed his transfer to Nice last summer.
The Senegal international insists he no longer has any physical problems. "Before, my knee hurt, but it didn't stop me playing. The pain dates back to 2020. It wasn't treated properly. Today it's behind me and I'm no longer in pain", the player added.