ASSE needed strengthening at some point in the Claude Puel era, but they had failed some players offered by Buisine.
ASSE Mercato: Puel opposed the signing of Germain and Niang
During the last mercatos, ASSE have tried to strengthen their squad, especially after coming close to relegation to Ligue 2 in the 2019-2020 season and long threatened with descent into hell during the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Nevertheless, Claude Puel would have opposed the arrival of certain players proposed by the hiring manager, Jean-Luc Buisine. However, it was the Castres who had brought the latter to AS Saint-Étienne.
If we are to believe the revelations of Goal Football Club, the former Greens coach refused the signing of Valere Germain who was free after the end of his contract at OM last summer. The 31-year-old forward had agreed to a salary of € 70,000 a month, however. The Mbaye Niang case was also rejected by Claude Puel, according to the source, as the Senegalese center-forward wanted to join ASSE to revive after his last complicated season at Stade Rennais.
Besides these two known players in Ligue 1, he had the lead towards Nino iron, a young striker from Villarreal (21). The latter had been offered on loan to the Greens by the Spanish club, but he finally signed in Mallorca, following Puel’s veto. But also understands that the services of Ali Almoez, a 25-year-old Qatari striker, had been offered to Sainté in January 2020. But again, the former coach of the Stéphanois objected. However, ASSE had just transferred Robert Beric to Chicago (MLS) and needed a leading forward.
Even Ignacio Ramirez was the victim of the former coach of AS Saint-Étienne
More surprisingly, the only player signed on the last day of the 2021 summer transfer window, Ignacio Ramirez, was put under the extinguisher by Claude Puel. The latter had however validated his arrival at AS Saint-Étienne from Liverpool FC Montevideo (in Uruguay). The Uruguayan center-forward made only 5 brief appearances in Ligue 1 under Puel (123 minutes played).
According to internal testimony collected by the media, Claude Puel “did not want to recruit despite the recommendations” of the recruitment unit. And he was right, according to the website: “it was a way for him to protect himself in case of failure, on the pretext that he had not had the means to strengthen the team”. It should be remembered that the 60-year-old technician was not only a head coach, he was also general manager of ASSE and a member of the Management Board of the Loire club.