There is light at the end of the tunnel for long-exiled Brice Dja Djedje with RC Lens reportedly close to completing a loan deal for the defender.

The French second-tier side represent a chance for the Ivorian international to finally get some first-team football under his belt, almost a year after he made his second and final appearance for Watford in their 1-0 loss at Millwall in the FA Cup.

Dja Djedje said earlier in the season he had been treated like an "animal" by Watford, for whom he has made only two first-team appearances, both during that brief cup run.

He has not found favour under Walter Mazzarri or latterly Marco Silva, despite playing as Marseille's first-choice right-back for a period before his £3 million move to Vicarage Road in July 2016.