Football Season Guide

Saint-Etienne are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory, having finished fourth in Ligue 1 last term under the guidance of Jean-Louis Gasset. The veteran coach, however, decided to quit in the summer and has been replaced by right-hand man Ghislain Printant – a boss considered to be significantly less able, though popular with the players. There was a threat of a significant summer exodus from Stade Geoffroy-Guichard following the departure of the coach, though meaningful changes in the playing staff have been relatively small. Remy Cabella’s departure to Krasnodar is certainly a major blow in a creative sense, but otherwise loan midfielder Youssef Ait Bennasser and defender Timothee Kolodziejczak are the only notable figures to move on. The creative powerhouse of the side is expected to become Riyad Boudebouz, who has arrived for a relatively small fee from Betis and is on paper a strong and good-value addition. Additionally, Denis Bouanga arrives to add pace and depth on the left, while Zaydou Youssouf’s signing from Bordeaux does likewise on the right. The defence has been reinforced by the additions of Sergi Palencia and Harold Moukoudi from Barcelona and Le Havre respectively, with both expected to have to fight for a regular berth. With William Saliba staying at the club on a loan deal after signing from Arsenal, Saint-Etienne can expect big things again from their promising academy defender. With Stephane Ruffier in goal, and the defence protected by Yann M’Vila, who had been linked with a move but remains at the club, there is a very strong base. Offensively, there are a good variety of options in attack for Saint-Etienne, from the goal-poacher Robert Beric to the craftier Wahbi Khazri. This provides a good degree of versatility and depth, both of which will be key as the team returns to European football. Injuries hit the team towards the end of last season and they may start the season without a couple of long-term absentees in Gabriel Silva and, possibly, Kevin Monney-Paquet.