The ASSE, in search of reinforcements for its wings, had placed the Georgian winger Giorgi Abuashvili at the top of its list of tracks. Considered a potential successor to Zuriko Davitashvili, the 22-year-old had aroused a keen interest. His remarkable performances with FC Kolkheti-1913 Poti, notably at Euro U21 where he scored a goal and delivered a decisive pass, had strengthened his attractiveness in the European market. It was versatile and could also evolve in offensive environments, thus meeting the ASSE’s needs to boost its wings, especially when Davitashvili left. Its estimated value of €450,000 made it a reasonable and ambitious bet for the Stéphanois club.

However, ASSE’s efforts to recruit Abuashvili appear to have failed. According to the Telegram’s information, Guingamp’s club would be in a strong position to grab the player. This turnaround was a hard blow for Saint-Étienne, who was closely following developments in the hope of convincing him. This abortive transfer underscores the ASSE’s difficulty in concluding its recruitment operations, suggesting some uncertainty regarding the composition of its workforce. For Abuashvili, Guingamp offers a clearer path to French football, with sports and adaptation guarantees that ASSE could not offer in time.

Despite this disappointment, the ASSE must not give up its main objective: to strengthen its wings and secure its creative profiles. Davitashvili’s potential departure forces the club to be responsive and explore new offensive tracks. True to its strategy of finding young talent with high potential, the ASSE should not change its approach. It remains to be hoped that this failure does not hinder the ambition of the Stéphanois leaders, as other under-rated young players may well hatch under a solid project. Abuashvili’s example illustrates the need for ASSE to persevere in its search for promising talents.