It's hard to understand, after the Kakuta affair, Lens being wrong footed yet again. However according to young Freddy, he was NOT under contract to them - this is an extract from an interview he gave:
"I was not aware of contact with Fulham. It's my agent informed me, but he did not tell me right away. My wish was to stay in Lens, but the previous management had not offered me a professional contract and I do not know why. I said nothing at the time, and then things went forward with Fulham, because I do not have a proposal. I found myself with nothing at the time. If they had offered me a contract as they did with others, maybe I'd still be in Lens. "
This was before the arrival of Gervais Martel ...
"It was not good before. The new management came in, I did the course with the pros in Albertville and during this week internship, I was offered a professional contract. But it was already too late."