Saint-Étienne prioritise defensive reinforcements over changing coach in promotion push | OneFootball

Saint-Étienne will prioritise shoring up their defence in the winter window rather than changing Eirik Horneland as they chase immediate promotion. According to L'Équipe, the Norwegian will remain in post for now.

They sit second at the break only on goal difference over Le Mans. The table also hinges on a ruling after Red Star’s abandoned trip to Bastia on 5 December. No team have gone up after conceding 25 in 17 since 1993-94.

After a 0-1 defeat at Dunkerque on 6 December, Horneland’s anniversary match brought a 2-2 draw with bottom club Bastia on 13 December. He said the team must stop suffering defensively and that balance was needed, with or without him.

Unless there is another setback at Nice in the Coupe de France on Sunday at 14:45, the board will strengthen rather than sack him. Recruiters are reviewing around 30 options, notably a holding midfielder to cover Pierre Ekwah and a fifth left-back. Four or five arrivals could follow.

The club still do not want to let Lucas Stassin go, yet the Belgian under-21, 21, wants to leave. The door is open for Djylian N'Guessan, 17, and for defenders Dennis Appiah and Dylan Batubinsika, out of contract on 30 June, plus Yvann Maçon, under contract until 2027.

The France under-20 striker, capped seven times, is refusing to extend, so Saint-Étienne are resigned to sell. Chelsea have bid €8m, with the asking price at €12.5m, a modest consolation for the player earmarked to succeed Stassin as number 9.

Source: L'Équipe