Since the change of ownership last June, AS Saint-Étienne has begun a new era under the leadership of Ivan Gazidis and his Canadian allies. Very quickly, recruitment managers Huss Fahmy and Jaeson Rosenfeld were called upon to strengthen the team to make it more competitive in Ligue 1, while prudently managing the club's finances. Their missions are multiple and well defined: improve the quality of the squad, increase the market value of players and ensure that salary costs are controlled. Vast construction site for ASSE.
Improve the quality of the workforce
The main objective of the recruitment team was to make ASSE more competitive on the field. For this, several players were recruited, notably young and promising talents. Beyond simply strengthening the team, ASSE has implemented a strategy aimed at increasing the market value of its workforce. The objective is to add certain players with more lucrative assets, enough to generate profits in the event of resale. In this regard, young players have been privileged, their potential being a key factor in this logic of increasing market value.
Thus, in December 2024, the Saint-Etienne workforce is estimated at 56 million euros, an increase compared to the previous season when the total value was 47.2 million euros. This figure reflects a recruitment policy focused on the future and profitability, with a mix of young talents and more experienced elements.
Aware of the financial issues, the club also took care not to overpay its recruits. The wage bill remains under control, allowing the club to strengthen without compromising its finances. The challenge was to combine quality and controlled costs, a complex exercise, but necessary to guarantee the long-term viability of the project. The only problem and not the least, ASSE is not there on the Green rectangle. The deficiencies remain very significant at the moment. The Greens will have to do better to hope to maintain themselves and avoid a return to Ligue 2.
The evolution of the ASSE workforce in figures
ASSE has experienced a real evolution in terms of market value between the 2023-2024 season and the 2024-2025 season. Here is a comparison by line:
| Positions | 2024-2025 (market value) | 2023-2024 (market value) |
|---|---|---|
| Guardian | 3,90 M€ | 4,95 M€ |
| Defense | 10,20 M€ | 19,55 M€ |
| Milieu | 22,80 M€ | 10,35 M€ |
| Attacker | 19,10 M€ | 12,35 M€ |
| Total | 56,00 M€ | 47,20 M€ |
This progression of values shows a concentration of talents in midfield and attack, where players like Mathis Amougou (5 M€) and Zuri Davitashvili (€8 million) play a key role. For comparison, the ASSE workforce in 2023-2024 was dominated by a more valued defense.
The transfer window as a key to the future
Under the leadership of Gazidis, ASSE has strengthened its squad in the hope of being more competitive, but has also taken measures to optimize the value of its players while controlling its expenses. This balanced approach, focused on the development of young talents and the acquisition of players with resale potential, shows that ASSE wants to position itself over the long term by remaining rational in its investments. It now remains to be seen whether these choices will bear fruit on the field: ensuring the club's competitiveness in Ligue 1 while guaranteeing its financial sustainability in the short, medium and long term.
Goalkeepers:
- Gautier Larsonneur (27 ans, France) : 3,50 M€
- Brice Maubleu (35 years old, France): €300,000
- Boubacar Fall (23 years old, Senegal): €100K
Central defenders:
- Dylan Batubinsika (28 ans, RD Congo/France) : 2,50 M€
- Mickaël Nade (25 years old, France/Ivory Coast): €1.50 million
- Anthony Briançon (30 years old, France): €800,000
- Younis Abdelhamid (37 years old, Morocco/France): €500,000
Full backs:
- Pierre Cornud (27 ans, France) : 1,00 M€
- Leo Petrot (27 ans, France) : 1,00 M€
- Yvann Maçon (26 ans, France/Guadeloupe) : 2,00 M€
- Dennis Appiah (32 ans, France/Ghana) : 900 K€
Defensive midfielders:
- Pierre Ekwah (22 years old, France/Ghana): €4.00 million (Loan)
- Laminate Form (26 years old, France/Mali): €1.00 million
- Louis Mouton (22 years old, France): €800,000
- Thomas Monconduit (33 years old, France): €300,000
Central midfielders:
- Mathis Amougou (18 years old, France/Cameroon): €5.00 million
- Benjamin Bouchouari (23 years old, Morocco/Belgium): €3.00 million
- Aimen Moueffek (23 years old, Morocco/France): €2.50 million
- Florian Tardieu (32 years old, France): €700,000
Attacking midfielders:
- Augustine Boakye (24 ans, Ghana) : 3,00 M€
- Igor Miladinovic (21 years old, Serbia): €2.50 million
Attackers:
- I'm Old (22 years old, New Zealand): €800,000
- Zuri Davitashvili (23 years old, Georgia): €8.00 million
- Matthew Cafaro (27 ans, France) : 2,00 M€
- Lucas Stassin (20 years, Belgium): €5.00 million
- Ibrahim Sissoko (29 years old, Mali/France): €2.50 million
- Ibrahim Wadji (29 years old, Senegal): €800,000
Top 5 of ASSE
- Zuri Davitashvili (Right winger, 23 years old, Georgia): €8.00 million (estimated at €3 million in June)
- Mathis Amougou (Central midfielder, 18 years old, France/Cameroon): €5.00 million (estimated at €0.3 million in June)
- Lucas Stassin (Center forward, 20 years old, Belgium): €5.00 million (estimated at €6 million in September)
- Augustine Boakye (Attacking midfielder, 24 years old, Ghana): €3.00 million
- Gautier Larsonneur (Goalkeeper, 27 years old, France): €3.50 million
