France, Lens (AP) – Lens signed former French winger Florian Taubin on Friday on a three-year contract.
Taubin, 32, captained Udinese in Serie A last season, scoring eight league goals, with him on another year’s contract.
The Lens did not provide financial details, but French sports daily L’équipe said the club paid 6 million euros ($7 million). Taubin returns to League One after playing the best football of Marseille’s career.
During the prolific spells playing alongside Mercurial Dimitri Payet, he scored 57 league goals over three seasons, with coach Didier Deschamp calling him to the nation’s side.
Taubin was a member of the team when France won the 2018 World Cup, and made Rebrus’ final 10 appearances the following year.
After leaving Marseille, he joined Tigress on the Mexican side, but the move didn’t work and went to Udinese in January 2023. Overall, he scored 15 goals in 73 games for the club.
Taubin also played for Bastia early in his career.
He signed the reel in January 2013 and made headlines when he called for a move to Marseille that summer after being sent back on loan to Bastia for the rest of the season. This move has become very unpopular with the club’s fans as Taubin is not playing a single game for the reels.
Taubin also failed a spell with Newcastle in the 2015-16 Premier League, then loaned it to Marseille, and then rejoined the club forever.
Lens will hold a Ligue 1 campaign at home in Lyon on August 16th and a reel on September 21st.
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