Lille: Chancel Mbemba turns down a lucrative Al-Ittihad offer

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·2 febbraio 2026

Lille: Chancel Mbemba turns down a lucrative Al-Ittihad offer

The Congolese rock, Chancel Mbemba, didn't go easy on Al-Ittihad. The former OM defender rejected a major offer in the final hours of the winter transfer window.

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According to L'Equipe, Chancel Mbemba turned down an offer from Al-Ittihad during this winter transfer window. The Saudi club had put forward a substantial financial proposal to buy out the final months of the Lille centre-back's contract, with the intention of registering him exclusively for the AFC Champions League.

But as the French outlet reports, this scenario led Chancel Mbemba to refuse the move. Due to the foreign player quota already being filled, Mbemba would not have been eligible to play in the domestic league matches—an option he deemed incompatible with his sporting ambitions and preparations for upcoming international fixtures.

🚨 Al-Ittihad are in advanced talks with Lille centre-back Chancel Mbemba 🇨🇩 The club plan to register him exclusively for AFC Champions League Elite squad — @kdzh37
– domenica 1 febbraio 2026