Friday May 22, 2020 01:03 PM – Article written by La Rdaction – Comment on this article
Jean-Luc Buisine already at work! Formalized Wednesday as the director of the recruitment unit of AS Saint-Etienne, the new manager from Stéphane is already on deck with the coach Claude Puel and the general manager Xavier Thuilot on all the hot files of ASSE. The day before his enthronement, Jean-Luc Buisine held his first meeting with his two acolytes already frequented in Lille (2003/2008), in order to draw the first outlines of the new face of the Greens next season, learns L’Equipe this Friday morning. The Forez club, 17th in Ligue 1 when the championship stopped and therefore far from its standards, has an operating deficit of 14 million euros and is therefore no longer able to assume its mass salary of 37.5 million. Stéphane’s leaders are now planning to cut it in half. What to separate from several elements.
Still according to the daily, Claude Puel would have seven names which he would like to separate in priority: Ryad Boudebouz, Lois Diony, Yann M’Vila, Wahbi Khazri, Timothée Kolodzijczak, Sergi Palencia and Miguel Trauco. Big disappointing wages sportingly last season. Other players like Romain Hamouma, Franck Honorat or Arnaud Nordin could bring some cash to the club. The first two would also be tracked by FC Lorient, while the third was in the sights of Strasbourg this winter.
Three thorny subjects
It also remains to manage three thorny subjects, including that of Stéphane Ruffier. The 33-year-old doorman, with a high salary (2.8 M. € gross per season), recently learned from Claude Puel that he would no longer be number one next season. In place since 2011, the ex-Monegasque does not intend to become the lining of Jessy Moulin either. ASSE will therefore have to look for a number two while managing the Ruffier case.
Another delicate subject: that of Harold Moukoudi. The 22-year-old defender, loaned this season to Middlesbrough, does not intend to replay under the orders of Claude Puel. The technician had effectively relegated him fourth in the hierarchy of central defenders. Under contract with the Greens until 2023, he too could bring cash into the coffers. The player likes in England, but remains to be seen if the British transfer market will be dynamic enough to fill a hole of 14 million euros, by selling it at this price. A loan is also envisaged, in order to allow the club to relieve itself of its wages (80,000 euros gross monthly).
If ASSE will also have to defend itself to keep Denis Bouanga and Wesley Fofana, the two most popular and most bankable players in the workforce, it will also have to manage the case of Loic Perrin. The iconic captain of the Greens was supposed to end his career at the end of the season. But Covid-19 crisis and interruption of the championship oblige, the defender of soon 35 years wishes to extend by one year. Roland Romeyer is for, Claude Puel against. What create new tensions, and while the Loic Perrin also seems to be reduced by a damaged right knee at the level of the cartilage. In short, the next few weeks may be hectic in the Forez!
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