They are three players from the AS Saint-Etienne training center – one per line – to have officially extended their contract with the Greens, thus illustrating the club’s desire to promote its young talents. After defender Wesley Fofana and striker Charles Abi, midfielder Mahdi Camara in turn joined ASSE until 2024.
Born in Martigues, the player, now 22, joined Saint-Étienne in the summer of 2013. He has since experienced linear progression. After having started with the reserve, he enjoyed the joys of a first elite match on August 11, 2018 against Guingamp (2-1).
Loaned to Stade Lavallois in January 2019, Martégal took advantage of a half-season in National to register 3 goals in 13 games and thus allow the Mayenne club to mingle until the end in the fight for accession to Domino’s League 2.
Returning to his training club last summer, Mahdi Camara then shifted into high gear and established himself as a valuable recuperator in the Saint-Etienne midfield. This season, he played 20 matches in all competitions. His progress allowed him to discover the European level and thus to score his first professional goal, last November 8 at Oleksandria (2-2).
The midfielder also participated in the successful journey of his team in the Coupe de France, the final of which should have taken place this Saturday evening (*). Scorer against Épinal in the quarter-final of the competition (2-1), Mahdi Camara had notably helped propel Claude Puel’s men into the last four.
> Mahdi Camara : “It’s a pride to extend with my training club and continue my adventure in Green. I am pleased with the confidence placed in me by ASSE. My goal is to continue to progress and to fight for this club which has given me a lot since my beginnings. “
> Claude Puel (general manager of ASSE) : “At the start of the season, Mahdi may not have been among the players called to play regularly with the professional group, but he was able to impose himself by his frame of mind and his work. He has progressed enormously. He notably improved in his controls and his first touch of the ball. His ability to collect balloons is precious to the team and allows his partners to express themselves better. He is a reliable and consistent player in the effort. He never lets go. Mahdi symbolizes the mentality of the AS Saint-Etienne player. “
(*) Originally scheduled for April 25, the ASSE-PSG final has been postponed due to the epidemic of Coronavirus.
https://www.asse-newsfeed.com/2020/04/mahdi-camara-horizon-2024/