Ligue 1 Return Confirmed
French-Cameroonian midfielder Pierre Ekwah has officially completed a move to French top-flight club AJ Auxerre. The 24-year-old defensive anchor leaves AS Saint-Étienne to sign a season-long loan agreement.
Financial and Structural Details
- The Loan Package: AJ Auxerre will pay a €300,000 fee to secure the midfielder for the duration of the current campaign.
- The Purchase Option: The structured agreement explicitly includes a non-mandatory option to buy, allowing Auxerre to make the transfer permanent for a €6 million (£5.1 million) fee at the end of the season.
- The Motivation: Auxerre management aggressively finalized the deal to immediately substitute midfielder Assane Dioussé, who recently sustained a severe cruciate ligament injury.
Resolving the Transfer Drama
The high-profile transfer marks the end of a long-standing dispute between the former Chelsea and West Ham youth graduate and Saint-Étienne. Ekwah, who spent the latter half of last season on loan with Watford in England, steadfastly refused to compete in Ligue 2 following Saint-Étienne’s relegation, choosing instead to test himself on the elite French stage
