ASSE, Ligue 2 leaders, prepare two targeted signings for January

Leading Ligue 2 by three points ahead of Nancy, Saint-Étienne is already preparing for the winter transfer window. According to specialist media Peuple-Vert, two positions are in the sights of the Saint-Étienne board: left-back and striker.

This is not the first time ASSE has attempted to address these gaps. The club had already targeted these two areas during the summer transfer window, without success. With less than two months until the January market opens, the first leads are nevertheless beginning to emerge in the Forez.

On the left flank, the board is still hesitating between an immediate signing and waiting until summer. The trend would nevertheless lean towards an arrival in January. Peuple-Vert notes that “Ben Old’s start to the season is not necessarily up to expectations”. The New Zealand winger moreover has no real competition for his position: Kévin Pedro and Maxime Bernauer can fill in on the left side, but both players occupy important roles in other areas.

In attack, the Thierno Ballo – Irvin Cardona pairing is performing well, but manager Ian Cathro lacks additional solutions up front. Zuriko Davitashvili has struggled since the start of the season and is not a natural striker, while Joshua Duffus has shown too inconsistent performances to establish himself as a reliable alternative. A new number 9 would therefore be on the Greens’ list of winter priorities.