Austrian of African descent who has taken Europe by storm - and now Guardiola too

At just 21 years old, Samson Baidoo has unexpectedly become one of the most talked-about names on the European transfer market. A report from SportsBoom claims that several elite clubs are closely monitoring the RC Lens defender, with Manchester City, Liverpool FC, and Inter Milan all showing strong interest.

Lens, however, are not prepared to let him go cheaply — the French side is believed to be demanding somewhere between €45 million and €55 million.

The potential price tag is remarkable considering Baidoo only arrived in France this past summer from Red Bull Salzburg in a deal worth roughly €8 million. In just a few months, his value could increase several times over.

The defender from Graz has adapted quickly to life in Ligue 1. While Lens have since surrendered top spot in the standings to Paris Saint-Germain, Baidoo has remained one of the league’s standout young defenders. This season he has featured in 18 league matches, scoring twice and starting in 17 of those games.

At the international level, Baidoo has so far been a regular for the Austria U21 national team, where he has collected 15 appearances. A senior debut under Ralf Rangnick is still pending. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Americas approaching in roughly 100 days, breaking into the senior squad currently looks challenging — even though Baidoo already has 12 UEFA Champions League matches under his belt this season.

That situation could change quickly if one of Europe’s giants makes a concrete move. Should a major transfer materialize, the Austrian Football Association might soon be forced to reconsider Baidoo’s place in the national team setup. One thing is certain — Rangnick is almost certainly already keeping a close eye on the talented defender.