TheASSE has suffered serious financial difficulties in recent months, as witnessed by one transfer window winter rather chilly and difficult to complete. The club’s coffers were empty and it was absolutely necessary to make sales during the various periods of transfer window and to reduce the workforce. AS Saint-Etienne has achieved enormous capital gains on the transfer market in recent seasons, however, among Greens, the economic situation still seems complicated. Extra time is difficult to complete, like that of attacking midfielder Romain Hamouma, and the end of the season promises to be very difficult in the Forez. So where does the Saint-Etienne money go?
At ASSE, a catastrophic economic situation
When he arrived at ASSE, almost a year and a half ago, Claude Puel found a club and a team in a more than delicate situation. The Stéphanois coach declared, a few weeks ago: “The club was going into the wall. It was in debt to follow a pattern that had lived. My job is not to say if what has been done is good or not good, but to establish an observation and to make a projection. I built a new project for the club, not for me. ” Economic difficulties which would have been caused in particular by the large contracts offered to his recruits by Claude Puel’s predecessor, Jean-Louis Gasset, today on the bench of the Girondins de Bordeaux.
The Bordeaux resident had defended himself. “I recall the context: when the president ask me to take the team, it is 17th, out of ten games without a win and lost 5-0 in the derby against Olympique Lyonnais at home, reminded Jean-Louis Gasset. I told the presidents that we had to strengthen the team. Afterwards, we had to find men. Men that I knew, of course. They came to lend a hand … We lost two games in six months and made a 13-game unbeaten streak. ” A rebirth, which then had to be compensated for. The transfer market has seen leave Yann M’Vila and his big salary at Olympiakos this summer. The midfielder is not the only one to have been invited to leave ASSE. Striker Loïs Diony took over the management of Angers SCO. While more recently, the Greens ended the goalkeeper’s contract Stephane Ruffier, after two layoffs.
However, the money goes into the coffers with record capital gains
It was also necessary to bring in money. Sales of center-backs William Saliba to Arsenal and Wesley Fofana to Leicester City in the Premier League have gone in this direction. Players that Jean-Louis Gasset has also launched in Ligue 1. “We started William Saliba, Wesley fofana, Charles Abi … “, added the coach of the Girondins de Bordeaux. Of these players, theAS Saint-Etienne will have drawn 70 million euros. By adding the transfer of Rémy Cabella to Rubin Kazan (13 million), that of Jorginho to Ludogorets (800,000 euros) and a check for the TV rights of the Europa League, AS Saint-Etienne had pocketed nearly 100 million during of the last few seasons.
It is even more, if one believes the data of the Observatory of football, published in recent days. Indeed, ASSE, on the transfer market, is the 6th European club in terms of added value during the last ten transfer window, behind LOSC, AS Monaco, Olympique Lyonnais, Sampdoria and Atalanta . Sainté brought 113 million euros into his coffers during this period, including winter and summer transfer window. However, the economic situation is still complicated at ASSE. Daniel Riolo, consultant for RMC, explained a few weeks ago that the club of Bernard Caïazzo and Roland romeyer was “not far from the precipice”, like several clubs of League 1.
AS Saint-Etienne soon to be sold?
“Football is in decline and the situation is really worrying, explained Daniel Riolo, on RMC. It is said that several clubs are in a catastrophic situation. That is to say barely able to finish the season. In these clubs there are three which are important clubs in our football: OM, ASSE, Bordeaux… clubs which are not far from the precipice, who say to themselves that we can only pay half of the costs. wages and make drastic savings to survive. We are there. ” A terrifying observation, due in particular to the pandemic of Covid-19 and the financial losses that are linked to it: in camera, fiasco of Mediapro with the broadcasting rights for the French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 championships … And money which, instead of being used for the transfer, will have to be reinjected to compensate for losses and ensure the good financial health of the club for next season. At ASSE, despite these 113 million euros in capital gains on transfers since 2016, the situation is calamitous and with it comes the flood of rumors about a possible next sale of the club.
Above all, Claude Puel’s team will have to avoid relegation at all costs. The Foréziens have, for this, been obliged to recruit in the winter transfer window. The central defender Pope Abu Cisse made his arrival from Olympiakos, while a goalscorer, Anthony Modeste, arrived at the last minute on loan from FC Köln in the Bundesliga. What to try to give a boost to the Forézien offensive sector, in need of goals since the start of the French championship. But ASSE is gradually raising its head sportingly. Although 15th, the Greens now have seven points ahead of the barrage, FC Nantes, and eleven units on the first relegation, Dijon FCO. The victory against FC Metz of Frédéric Antonetti, Sunday (1-0) on his lawn of Geoffroy-Guichard on the occasion of the 24th day of Ligue 1, could be the beginning of the Saint-Etienne renewal.
Through Matthew