The AS Saint-Étienne is going through a complex period, marked by the management of several delicate personal situations involving key players such as Pierre Ekwah, Zuriko Davitashvili, Lucas Staassin and Paul Eymard. The case of Bénjamine Bouchouári, midfielder at the end of the contract in 2026 and targeted by Olympique Lyonnais, is of particular concern. The ASSE is forced to sell it in order to obtain a transfer allowance, which is of interest to several clubs, including Girona FC. Initially, the Trabzonspor made a concrete offer, but the discussions went on. Recently, Olympique Lyonnais has shown its interest, although it does not seem to succeed according to the sources of the Lyon milieu.

The pre-season of ASSE ended with a defeat against the Cagliari at the Luigi Riva Trophy in Italy. Despite sterile domination, the team failed to perform and conceded the goal on a defensive error. Attempts to substitute in the second period did not reverse the trend, leading to a third consecutive defeat. However, the club continues its transformation by integrating European standards, such as the arrival of a sports psychologist and the recruitment of young talent such as Ebenzer Annan and João Ferreira. The ASSE also unveiled its new third jersey, a khaki design that was well received by fans.

Ahead of Ligue 2’s first match against Laval, ASSE organized a meeting with subscribers to strengthen the link with fans. Players stressed the importance of fighting and mentality to succeed in League 2, stressing the need to win individual duels. Maxime Bernauer and Gautier Larsonneur expressed their determination to show another face in Laval and to continue the club’s rise. The team prepared intensively for this first game, with particular attention to physical recovery in order to be 100% for the stakes.