Pierre Ekwah is undergoing medical examinations with AJ Auxerre as he closes in on a season-long loan move from AS Saint-Étienne. The 24-year-old midfielder is poised to link up with Will Still’s Ligue 1 side after terms were agreed between the clubs, according to Onze Mondial and Foot Mercato.
Deal structure and terms
The agreement will see Auxerre pay a €300,000 fee for the temporary switch. Crucially, the deal includes a €6 million option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the campaign. This clause protects Saint-Étienne’s asset value while giving the top-flight club first refusal on the player should he impress during his loan spell.
Relegation prompts exit
Ekwah’s determination to leave Saint-Étienne stems directly from their demotion to Ligue 2. The midfielder is unwilling to compete in France’s second tier, a stance he demonstrated last summer when he initially refused to play for Les Verts in an attempt to force a transfer.
His wish to avoid Ligue 2 football appeared likely to go unfulfilled when a permanent move failed to materialise during the previous winter window. Instead, he secured a temporary switch to Watford, spending the second half of last season in the EFL Championship. The Hornets declined to exercise their purchase option, however, returning the former West Ham United trainee to Saint-Étienne.
What happens next
Provided the medical is completed without complication, Ekwah will offer reinforcements to Still’s midfield as Auxerre prepare for the upcoming Ligue 1 season. The arrangement offers the French youth international a platform to rebuild his career in the top flight while allowing him to avoid competing against his parent club in the second division.