Mercato is in full swing for AS Saint-Étienne (ASSE), which has been working for several weeks to strengthen its workforce. Before the official opening of the negotiations, the club has already secured the arrivals of Cardona and Bernauer by lifting their purchasing options. In addition, Mahmoud Jaber joined the Greens from Maccabi Haifa, demonstrating the club’s ambition to redefine itself. The ASSE aims for a consistent mercato in order to correct the weaknesses of its team, particularly in defence, which has conceded 77 goals in the last season. This desire to strengthen is part of a broader strategy aimed at regaining a place of choice in the elite of French football.

Along with these arrivals, several departures were made within the team. Yunis Abdelhamid, Anthony Briançon, Pierre Cornud, Louis Mouton and Ibrahim Sissoko all left the ASSE, either by agreement of departure or by expiry of contract. These departures, especially in defence, underline the need for the club to reorganize and recruit new players. The financial crisis affecting French football makes recruitment difficult for many Ligue 2 clubs, but ASSE seems willing to invest in attracting quality profiles, even without necessarily having to sell players.

ASSE’s attention has recently focused on Chico Lamba, a 1m90 central defender who recently participated in Euro Espoirs. After a convincing tournament, the player’s profile was particularly interested in the Stéphanois board. The club should spend more than 6 million euros to attach its services, and the player has already spent his medical visit in Loire. The transfer should be formalized very soon, thus confirming the ASSE’s commitment to strengthen its defence and pursue its development policy.