Foot – Mercato – ASSE
Aware of the financial situation in which AS Saint-Etienne finds himself, Claude Puel has programmed a youth-based transfer window for this summer. And while the recruitment of the Greens is taking shape, it gets stuck on the sales side.
As revealed exclusively by le10sport.com last February, Claude Puel has clear ideas for its recruitment. Its flight plan is simple, namely to rejuvenate the workforce and attract promising players, while trying to reduce its workforce and offloading imposing salaries, especially of certain executives. In the columns of The team, The ASSE coach confirmed this trend: “ I am in the position of a workforce builder. I am counting on young people who are not going to represent a heavy investment. Yvann Maçon, for example, has a potential that can bring him to a very high level (…) We must train them to play in the first team. And while the Greens’ organization chart was recently supplemented by Jean-Luc Buisine, arrived at the post of director of the recruitment cell, Claude Puel was able to launch his transfer window.
Two recruits before Aouchiche
Indeed, after having screened his greatest hopes, Wesley Fofana (19 years old), Charles abi (20 years old) and Mahdi Camara (22 years old), who all extended until 2024, Claude Puel recorded the reinforcement of Jean-Philippe Krasso (22 years old) and Setigui Karamoko (20 years). This therefore confirms the strategy launched byASSE for this summer, but it’s still far from over since the next name on the list is Adil Aouchiche. As announced by Goal, the player trained in PSG, who has still not signed his first professional contract in Paris, spent his medical visit with the Greens and is getting closer to Forez. It would be a wonderful move for Claude Puel, the 17-year-old midfielder being presented as one of the greatest hopes of French football. Aouchiche would therefore embody the plan of Claude Puel of which he would probably be the best representative.
What about departures?
But while recruitment seems on track, the second phase of the plan Claude Puel promises to be more delicate. The idea of rejuvenating the workforce also involves the departure of several executives. But we still have to convince them to leave. And that looks complicated. And for good reason, as revealed by Manu Lonjon, Eurosport journalist, Stéphane Ruffier has no intention of leaving and giving away his last year of contract toASSE while it is cold with its direction. An embarrassing situation given the fact that the Stéphanois porter has one of the most important wages in the locker room. Ryad Boudebouz, which comes out of a disappointing season, will not be retained by Claude Puel. But the Algerian does not intend to leave as he recently confided: ” Whatever the rumors about future players and / or myself, I will not comment on anything at all. As I told you before, I have already spoken about my future. “At the end of the contract, Loïc Perrin also does not fit into the plans of the former coach of Leicester, But Roland Romeyer could get involved. Finally, the player who seems closest to a start seems to be the one who absolutely wants to keep Claude Puel : Denis Bouanga. And for good reason, the former Nîmes is the most bankable of Stéphanois and seems to be one of the few players in the workforce being able to bring a big check to theASSE which claims 15M €. Therefore, the plan of Claude Puel seems to be on the right track in terms of recruitment, but if the Greens do not quickly find a solution with regard to sales, this strategy could take hold in the wings.