Looking for new opportunities on the sidelines of the next winter transfer window, AS Saint-Etienne have added the name of Baptiste Santamaria to a shortlist of midfielders. The objective is to shake up the current hierarchy and relaunch a new dynamic.
It’s now official, AS Saint-Etienne has a new coach. Eirik Horneland has the difficult task of relaunching a completely stalled machine. The Greens occupy the play-off position at mid-season and show impressive deficiencies in all positions in matches. The Forézien club is the second worst defense in Ligue 1 since the start of the season with 34 goals conceded in 15 matches. But that’s not all, Sainté is also the second worst attack in the championship with only 12 goals scored. Even Montpellier, dead last, is doing better. To try to heal the wounds, the Saint-Etienne management intends to use the next winter transfer window to make adjustments to the squad. Among the potential recruits surveyed, we find Baptiste Santamaria, the Stade Rennais midfielder.
Santamaria, priority for the Greens?
According to information from L’Equipe, the management of AS Saint-Etienne would include Baptiste Santamaria in its little papers. The Stade Rennais midfielder is not part of Jorge Sampaoli’s plans and could look for a way out this winter. The Greens particularly appreciate his midfield profile: tough on man, with great activity on the pitch and an interesting vision of the game. Above all, he is still in the prime of his life. At 29, he has extensive experience in Ligue 1 with 275 matches played between Angers and Rennes.
For the player, the opportunity to sign with Saint-Etienne could be an interesting rebound in his career. However, it is not said that he agrees to leave a club with European ambitions to join one which aims to maintain itself. In addition, his current salary could pose a problem for Saint-Etienne leaders. A loan with an option to purchase may be the best proposition to make.
