AS Saint-Etienne : the 5 things to expect from the second Mercato | ASSE News

Make a great sale to achieve the goals

With the disposals of Vagner Dias and Franck Honorat during the first market, ASSE has met part of its sales targets. It remains to find between 7 and 10 M € corresponding to the other part of the deficit for the 2019-20 fiscal year. As it will be difficult to find exit doors for all the dinosaurs to which Claude Puel has opened the door, we must consider a final beautiful sale. This could intervene on Harold Moukoudi, returned in good condition to the Etrat following his loan to Middlesbrough (English D2). Arrived free a year ago, the former Le Havre is valued by his club in the amount corresponding to the deficit remaining to be filled. He could be the subject of Premier League approaches. His departure would allow ASSE not to ask questions about possible offers around the players that the Greens want to keep (Bouanga, Fofana).

Recruit low cost in defense

With Yvann Neyou in the middle, Adil Aouchiche in the creation, Jean-Philippe Krasso in front and Setigui Karamoko in the defensive axis, ASSE made good progress in the first Mercato. However, there are still one or two adjustments to be made. Claude Puel has no budget to recruit. The general manager knows it and puts up with it, ready to try bets on young people costing the club almost nothing. If he manages to skim at the post, Saint-Etienne hopes for a left-handed defender capable of evolving in the corridor (Giannoulis, Opéri, Brassier). It is not excluded either that with the retirement of Loïc Perrin, the end of loan of William Saliba and the possible departure of Harold Moukoudi, a central defender is wanted. Here too, a deal greater than € 1 million seems difficult. The rare pearl will have to be free or available for a loan. Otherwise it will be with the means at hand … Even if it means considering the final reclassifications of Yann M’Vila, Mathieu Debuchy and Timothée Kolodziejczak in central hinge.

Make some big and unwanted wages leave

For the workforce rejuvenation project led by Claude Puel to work, it will be necessary to accelerate a few departures. Large salaries like Wahbi Khazri, Yann M’Vila or Ryad Boudebouz will not be accepted in the event of offers. Solutions are also being sought for Miguel Trauco, Sergi Palencia or Loïs Diony, players far from being essential to ASSE currently and who could save a little payroll. Gabriel Silva, Alexandros Katranis, Assane Dioussé or Alpha Sissoko are also part of the planned sweep. Obviously not all will find takers but if Saint-Etienne can make some money from these elements, the club will not be deprived of it.

Resisting the assaults for Denis Bouanga and Wesley Fofana

In the mind of Claude Puel, the Gabonese winger and the French defender are part of the keystone of the new project. Despite external requests (AC Milan in particular) and the crazy sums mentioned (€ 20 million or more), the Castrese does not want to hear about a departure from Wesley Fofana, whom he sees as the new, unmovable pillar of the defense of the Greens. Under contract until June 2024, the Marseillais is anyway in the optics to stay. For Denis Bouanga, the ideas are less fixed. Claude Puel wants to keep him but would recover more easily from his departure if an offer of around € 15 million were to fall. If Stade Rennais seems less enthusiastic about recruiting him, other clubs like Everton and Nice are still on the lookout. At 25, the former Nîmes did not plan to leave this summer. He is happy in the Forez. But Bouanga will listen if a Champions League club were to come forward.

Managing the thorny issue Stéphane Ruffier

In the Mercato des Verts, the Ruffier case is separate. Today, the Bayonnais is arguably the most undesirable player in the squad but, one year from the end of his contract, the former Monegasque does not intend to give any gifts. Under these conditions, an amicable termination seems difficult if the Loire club does not pay him all of his last year of lease. A departure to another club is also. Eager to hang up the gloves in a year at the latest, Stéphane Ruffier – who is in the cold with Claude Puel – has already refused all external requests. ASSE dismissed him and warned him for his behavior without having enough information to recognize a serious fault and dismiss him. This war of nerves that has set in could make some waves in the locker room. Regulating Ruffier’s departure one way or another is a building site for this second summer market …