Lucas Stassin could start against Bastia but still wants January move | OneFootball

Back from a calf injury, Lucas Stassin could start against Bastia on Saturday, yet he still wants to leave Saint-Étienne in January to keep his World Cup hopes alive.

According to L'Équipe, ASSE Coeur-Vert ran a blood drive and a hospital visit, while Stassin, 21, and Aïmen Moueffek visited a care home.

He has not scored since 23 September at Amiens, a 1-0 win that ended a run of four in three, and his last start came in the 0-4 loss at Annecy on 25 October. He has four goals and three assists in 13 of 16 matches.

His conduct, including claiming he alone is worth 26 million euros, the sum Paris FC bid on summer deadline day plus three million in bonuses, caused dressing-room friction and a spell on the bench. A subsequent calf issue with Belgium under-21s sidelined him, but he could start on Saturday.

His faltering half-season underlines limits in Kilmer’s plan. To secure his four-year deal plus an optional fifth on 30 August 2024, the new owner mapped out three steps, stay up, then push for the top, then Europe. Instead he is in Ligue 2 on half pay, against his will.

He has not followed Pierre Ekwah in walking out, but hopes to move in January. The club already have his replacement in Josuha Duffus, 20, who is out this weekend with a hamstring problem and matches Stassin’s numbers in one fewer match. With Saint-Étienne not dominating Ligue 2, a mid-season exit appears unlikely.

Source: L'Équipe