AS Saint-Étienne is actively preparing for its season in Ligue 2, determined to return to the top division next season after a difficult relegation. The club has already started a major recruitment, with the lifting of purchasing options for Irvin Cardona and Pierre Ekwah, as well as the arrival of Mahmoud Jaber and Chico Lamba to strengthen central defence. A significant investment was made for the young Portuguese talent Chico Lamba, revealed at Euro Espoirs 2025, highlighting the club’s ambition to build a competitive workforce for the future.

The Stéphanois club continues discreetly its recruitment operations, wishing to limit the spread of rumours, as evidenced by the arrival of Chico Lamba whose transfer was revealed only after the validation of his medical examination. A new recruit in sight, Joshua Duffuss, was seen with the club’s outfits, allowing for an upcoming officialization. At the same time, some players could leave the club, including Davitashvili and Lucas Staasnin, whose exhibition could be limited by future participation in the 2026 World Cup.

ASSE maintains its commitment to preserve Davitashvili and Staasnin for the 2025-2026 season. Two important issues could animate the Stéphanois mercato until September: right-wing attacker Giorgi Gocholeishvili, player of Shahhtar Donetsk, for which the ASSE would have proposed 3 million euros, an offer refused by the Ukrainian club that targets 10 million. Gocholeishvili, 22 years old, is under contract until 2027 and already has 14 selections with the Georgian national team.