Seeking a center-forward in 2019, Saint-Etienne could sign Qatari striker Almoez Ali. But then-coach Claude Puel refused.
Licensed by ASSE and replaced by Pascal Dupraz a few days ago, Claude Puel will not leave only good memories in Saint-Etienne. He is obviously blamed for the poor results of the Greens, but not only. Some of the former ASSE’s transfer market picks have questioned. Claude Puel, for example, used all his weight to send Robert Beric to the United States for a million euros when the Slovenia international was arguably Saint-Etienne’s best center forward at the time. In 2019, when replacing Beric, many attackers were offered to Claude Puel. According to reports from But, ASSE had, for example, the possibility of signing Qatari striker Almoez Ali.
Almoez Ali, a seasoned scorer in Qatar
Little known in Europe, the 25-year-old striker is a benchmark in Qatar. By the time the Saint-Etienne recruiting unit proposed Almoez Ali to Claude Puel, the center forward had just finished top scorer in the 2019 Asian Cup with 9 goals scored. A two-year loan was in the pipes for Ali in Saint-Etienne, but Claude Puel finally made the decision to refuse his arrival, the former coach of the Greens favoring Charles Abi who is now only a replacement in Ligue 2 at Guingamp. A failed decision for Claude Puel, especially as the continuation of Almoez Ali’s career since 2019 suggests that he would undoubtedly have been a big reinforcement for ASSE. Indeed, the Qatari striker has just shone at the 2021 Arab Cup by scoring three goals, and will certainly be very watched at the next World Cup in just a year. Certainly, this information will not increase the popularity of Claude Puel in Saint-Etienne …