Chancel Mbemba joins Al-Diriyah as free agent

Chancel Mbemba has a new home. The DR Congo center-back, who spent last season with Lille after leaving Marseille, has joined Saudi side Al-Diriyah as a free agent on a two-year deal. Mbemba will earn €7 million per year, the highest salary of his career. That is a significant jump from the €3.6 million he earned per season at Marseille and the €2.16 million at Lille, effectively tripling his most recent wages. The defender registered one assist in 21 appearances last season. The switch to Lille a year earlier helped him secure a place in DR Congo's 2026 World Cup squad.