To maintain its place in Ligue 1, AS Saint-Etienne will have to improve its defense. A fact well assimilated by the Saint-Etienne club, which already has a recruit in its sights for January.
Who is the strongest? Certainly not the Greens. AS Saint-Etienne has suffered defensively since the start of the season. Before the derby, the Forézien club had already conceded 24 goals in 10 matches. A figure inflated by the Nice disaster (8-0) last September but well and truly representative of the excitement in Saint-Etienne. Only two clubs have failed to score a goal at ASSE this season while Angers or Brest have planted 4 each for the Greens. Currently 16th in Ligue 1, Saint-Etienne knows that its future survival requires a better defensive base.
ASSE absolutely wants Matthieu Udol
Talent and experience are what Sainté lacks. Yunis Abdelhamid had to meet these two criteria but the former Rémois has experienced an ordeal since his arrival, being contested by the supporters and especially put on the bench by Olivier Dall'Oglio. ASSE must recruit a similar profile to stabilize its defense and the Foréz club is counting on another player targeted last summer: Matthieu Udol.
According to the site Live Footthe left side and captain of FC Metz is the priority of the Saint-Etienne leaders for the winter transfer window. Aged 28, he has been one of the leaders of the Lorraine club for several seasons. Last summer, Saint-Etienne was close to recruiting him but Metz blocked the transfer. A few months later, ASSE will try its luck again with more solid financial arguments. Far from being assured of returning to Ligue 1 next season, FC Metz may have an interest in giving in this time, especially as its defender will not want to vegetate in Ligue 2.
