AS Saint-Étienne has officially ended its pursuit of Senegalese left-back Fodé Ballo-Touré, with the club opting to secure the services of Maccabi Haifa’s Pierre Cornud instead. This decision follows weeks of negotiations with the AC Milan defender, which ultimately fell through due to financial complications.
Ballo-Touré, who found himself surplus to requirements at AC Milan, was in advanced talks with Saint-Étienne.
The French club had identified him as a key target to strengthen their defense ahead of the upcoming Ligue 1 season.
However, the deal hit a major snag over the player’s salary demands. Despite being eager to move, Ballo-Touré’s substantial wages proved to be a stumbling block, even after he reportedly agreed to take a significant pay cut.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that while Ballo-Touré was willing to halve his current salary to facilitate the move, the revised terms still exceeded Saint-Étienne’s budget
. The club, newly promoted to Ligue 1, was forced to reassess its options and ultimately decided to withdraw from the deal.
With Ballo-Touré’s move off the table, Saint-Étienne has turned its attention to 27-year-old Frenchman Pierre Cornud.
The Maccabi Haifa defender is expected to arrive in Saint-Étienne imminently to finalize his transfer.
Cornud, who has garnered praise for his consistent performances in the Israeli Premier League, is set to fill the left-back position that Ballo-Touré was initially earmarked for.
The decision to pursue Cornud reflects Saint-Étienne’s commitment to securing a reliable defensive option without compromising their financial stability.
The club is reportedly confident that Cornud’s experience and skill set will be a valuable addition as they navigate their return to France’s top flight.
As for Ballo-Touré, his future remains uncertain with just days left in the summer transfer window.
The Senegalese international, who previously played for AS Monaco before joining Milan, is now exploring other options.
Reports suggest that clubs in Germany and England have expressed interest in acquiring his services. However, if a deal is not reached soon, Ballo-Touré faces the prospect of being relegated to AC Milan’s reserves until the January transfer window.
The collapse of the Saint-Étienne move is a significant setback for Ballo-Touré, who had been hopeful of securing regular playing time ahead of the new season.
His situation now places pressure on his representatives to find an alternative solution that aligns with his career aspirations.
In contrast, Saint-Étienne’s swift pivot to sign Cornud demonstrates the club’s proactive approach in the transfer market.
With the arrival of the experienced left-back, the Greens are poised to bolster their squad as they aim to reestablish themselves in Ligue 1.
