AS Saint-Étienne drops interest in Benin striker Steve Mounié

French Ligue 2 side AS Saint-Étienne has abandoned its plan to sign Benin international Steve Mounié for the 2025/26 season. The southern French club, recently relegated to the second division, is aiming to bounce back to Ligue 1 and has set its sights on strengthening the squad.

WHAT A STRIKE, MOUNIE! 🚀 #TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 pic.twitter.com/kSthamnFAC

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) March 22, 2023

Mounié spent the season with German Bundesliga side Augsburg. He struggled to find goals and playing time, making a return to France seem like a good option. Saint-Étienne is expected to lose Lucas Stassin, and Mounié was seen as a potential replacement. However, he managed to score only one goal in 16 Bundesliga appearances and failed to replicate his strong form at Brest during the 2023/24 season.

Mounié’s high salary demands reportedly discouraged Saint-Étienne from proceeding with the signing. The 30-year-old striker returned to the Benin national team during the June friendly defeat to Morocco. His future at Augsburg remains uncertain.