French-Malian defender Ali Dembele has joined Serie A club Lecce from Torino on a season-long loan.
The 22-year-old right-back completed the move on 30 August 2026, with the loan running until 30 June 2027. Dembele will wear the Lecce colours after returning to Torino at the end of a previous loan spell with Mantova.
Dembele spent the second half of the 2025-26 season at Mantova, joining the club on loan from Torino on 2 February 2026. He returned to Torino on 30 June before switching to Lecce two months later.
The defender is 1.89m tall and naturally right-footed. He was born in Villepinte, France, and holds French and Malian nationality.
Dembele began his youth career with FC Bourget before moving through the academy system at Troyes. He joined Troyes’ under-19 side in 2021 after progressing from the club’s under-17 team, then moved to Torino’s under-19 squad in July 2022.
His first move into senior football came when he stepped up from Torino’s youth ranks in July 2023. He subsequently spent time away from the Italian club, joining Venezia on loan in September 2023 before returning to Torino at the end of that campaign.
The latest move gives Dembele another opportunity to continue his career in Italy, this time with Lecce in Serie A. His arrival adds a right-back to the club’s squad for the 2026-27 season.
Dembele’s market value is listed at €1.3m, while the transfer has been recorded as a loan move rather than a permanent transfer. The agreement also includes a confirmed return to Torino at the end of the loan period.
Lecce have registered Dembele for the 2026-27 campaign, although he had not made an appearance in Serie A or the Italy Cup at the time of the transfer. His move was completed on 30 August, with the player switching from Torino to Lecce until the end of June 2027.
