AJ Auxerre recruit Pierre Ekwah as long-term injury leaves midfield gap

AJ Auxerre have strengthened their midfield by signing Pierre Ekwah from AS Saint-Etienne on a paid loan worth €300,000, with an option to buy set at €6m.

The purchase clause is not mandatory, meaning AJ Auxerre will have the choice to make the move permanent at the end of the loan spell without being obliged to do so. The agreement brings the 24-year-old to Burgundy as the club looks to cover the prolonged absence of Assane Diousse.

Diousse is unavailable after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture, leaving AJ Auxerre in need of midfield cover. Ekwah’s arrival provides a direct response to that situation and gives the club a player with experience of development in both France and England.

The France-born midfielder, who has Franco-Cameroonian nationality, began his football education in the Paris region before continuing his development at FC Nantes. He subsequently joined the academies of Chelsea and West Ham, two of the English clubs where he developed before moving into senior football.

Ekwah made his professional debut at Sunderland. His career then took him to AS Saint-Etienne, where he enjoyed a successful spell, before he spent the second half of last season on loan at Watford.

That period at Watford preceded his return to France, with the move to AJ Auxerre set to take him back into the top tier of French football. The Burgundy club have secured his services initially on loan, while retaining the possibility of signing him permanently for the agreed €6m fee.

The transfer is the latest development highlighted by Africafoot in its live news coverage of African football. The service follows transfer rumours, confirmed deals, records and other stories involving African players across the game.

Ekwah’s move is also significant because of the route he has taken through football. After starting his training in France, he continued his development within the academy systems of Chelsea and West Ham, then gained his first professional experience at Sunderland. His subsequent time with AS Saint-Etienne and Watford has added further senior-level experience before his latest switch to AJ Auxerre.

For the moment, the financial structure of the deal leaves the next decision with AJ Auxerre. The club have paid €300,000 for the loan and can later activate the non-compulsory €6m option if they decide to retain the midfielder permanently. The immediate purpose of the move, however, is to help compensate for Diousse’s lengthy absence following his cruciate ligament injury.