PROFILE | Failed AS Roma move only delays the inevitable for matured Kevin Danso | OneFootball

Kevin Danso was exceptionally close to being ineligible for this list when over the summer Roma had agreed on a fee to pluck the centre-back away from Lens. It was a transfer that did not feel surprising. The Milton Keynes and Reading academy product had outgrown the diamond in the rough label that had accompanied his early career.

Danso was now a player who demonstrated consistently a highly coveted skillset. Intelligent, pacey, and physical – he had become the ideal centre-back for the modern age. Fearless enough to progress the ball out from the back with ease, but also capable of protecting the backline when forced into the grittier side of the game.

Lens in the 2023/24 season conceded the fourth fewest amount of goals in the league with Danso playing a key part in the middle of Franck Haise’s three-at-the-back system. Danso missed only four games across the entire campaign, including in Lens’ forays into the Champions League and Europa League.

He was also earning recognition from his international head coach Ralf Rangnick who started Danso during Austria’s matches against France and Türkiye during EURO 2024. All of this contributed to the feeling that it was only a matter of time before one of Europe’s richer clubs arrived with a big enough offer to steal the centre-back away from Les Sang et Or.

A false alarm

In late August, Roma’s €25m offer was enough to convince Lens to part ways with their defender. However, the move would break down after Roma’s doctors examined the defender, during routine tests they discovered a heart problem which would cause the player to fail his medical examination.

It was an outcome that blindsided both Lens and Danso. The Ligue 1 team reacted strongly “We are wondering about the deeper reasons for the cancellation of this transfer of a meticulously monitored player who has played more than 30 matches on French and international pitches.” While, Danso wrote, “I am very surprised by the supposed reason for the collapsed transfer.”

Lens did their due diligence at the start of the season and following the failed transfer Danso was sidelined until they had investigated the issue. Danso was left out of the squad for five games before the defender was declared fit to play for the team. Since then Danso has been indispensable for his new head coach Will Still, featuring in all of the club’s games. However, for how long the defender will remain in France with the winter transfer window approaching will be the question.

GFFN | Nick Hartland