The Colorado Rapids have announced the signing of midfielder Hamzat Ojediran from French Ligue 1 club RC Lens. Ojediran, 22, has agreed to a contract that runs through the 2028–29 season, with club options for the following two years. He will occupy an international roster spot and is set to join the team once his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa are processed.
“We’re excited to bring a player of Hamzat’s caliber into our group,” said Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith. “He brings outstanding physical presence, defensive discipline and explosiveness to our midfield. He’s an ideal fit for Matt’s system and is motivated and hungry to continue his own development and contribute to our success.”
Ojediran spent the last two seasons at RC Lens, making 17 appearances in Ligue 1 and scoring one goal. He also played five matches with RC Lens II since joining in 2024.
“Hamzat is a brilliant addition to the squad,” said Rapids Head Coach Matt Wells. “He has the elite mentality, technical ability and physicality we need in order to compete at the highest level. He brings excellent experience of European football and his identity of breaking up play and stopping opposition counter-attacks will help us impose our dominant style. Throughout our discussions, it was clear he had a winning mentality and we believe he’ll be a great fit.”
Before moving to France, Ojediran began his professional career with KF Egnatia in Albania’s top division, making 12 first-team appearances and contributing to their Albanian Cup victory in 2022–23. He was loaned out to Debrecen VSC in Hungary during the 2023 season before securing a permanent transfer ahead of the following campaign. In Hungary, he made 34 appearances across all competitions with three goals and three assists before transferring to RC Lens in what was reported as a club-record deal for Debrecen.
Internationally, Ojediran represented Nigeria at youth level, playing all four matches for Nigeria during the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2019.
The transaction marks another move by Colorado Rapids as they look to strengthen their midfield options heading into future seasons.
