Aïmen Moueffek, who arrived at the club at the age of 11, is at the end of his contract in June 2024. After a season in which he was finally able to accumulate minutes, he will have to manage an off-season which could be hectic.
A rather successful season
The 2022/2023 season saw Aïmen Moueffek finally be able to chain matches without too many physical glitches. A new treatment protocol has been put in place by the technical and medical staff, to allow the midfielder to regain full possession of his physical means. If there was ever any doubt about his qualities as a footballer, his fragile physique delayed and slowed down his progress. This season, Moueffek has appeared in 21 games for 954 minutes of overall playing time. If this is still insufficient, it is a huge progression compared to previous years. He was thus able to celebrate his first professional goal by scoring against Guingamp.
Holder during the series of invincibility experienced by the team of Laurent Batlles, he greatly participated in the recovery of Saint-Etienne. Aïmen Moueffek has all the qualities of a modern midfielder: active in recovering the ball, he does not hesitate to throw the ball at his feet, thanks to his physical size. Fully invested in the Saint-Etienne club, he is a leader of the team. We regularly see him talking to encourage or replace his teammates. His attitude on the field, full of generosity to calculate no effort is an example on which his teammates must rely.
He still needs to improve on his technical finesse in the last pass or strike, to increase his stats. A player of such quality must translate his performance into a greater offensive and statistical contribution. One thing is certain: if his physique leaves him alone, he has everything to be an essential part of the 2023/2024 Saint-Etienne team.
A contractual situation to settle
Aïmen Moueffek’s contractual situation will have to be managed by the Saint-Etienne management. Indeed, the Saint-Etienne midfielder is at the end of his contract in June 2024. Two options are available to the Saint-Etienne club: sell him this summer or extend it. Losing such a player for free would be a real blow for the ASSE staff. The best solution for the Saint-Etienne club would surely be to keep Moueffek for next season. The player trained at the club could thus chain a second season with a coach and a technical staff, trusting him. The formula used to manage his injuries seems to be working, so he could rack up the minutes and continue to thrive with a trusting environment.
The Saint-Etienne club will surely have a global reflection on its midfield. Indeed, between a disappointing Lobry on this second part of the season, a Bouchouari not at his level since his return from the Moroccan selection and on the start, and a Fomba not yet adapted to the Batlles system, it would be harmful to lose an element team engine.
In order not to see him leave ASSE for free, the Saint-Etienne management will have to be convincing by offering him a new contract adapted to his performance, his potential, and to make him a future executive of the team.
If Moueffek refuses to sign a new contract, the Saint-Etienne staff will surely have to sell him. It seems unthinkable to see the Saint-Etienne midfielder leave for free. With only one year of contract, its market value is certainly not very high, but a deal with a high resale percentage could satisfy all parties and bring big money to ASSE in future years.
Conclusion
Aïmen Moueffek is at a turning point in his career in Saint-Etienne. Key element of the Saint-Etienne game during his series of invincibility, it would be a hard blow for Laurent Batlles to lose him this summer. The protocol put in place and the attention paid by the medical staff paid off.
Moueffek was thus able to chain matches and good performances. The Saint-Etienne management will have to quickly rule on his case. Extending it would be a strong sign of ASSE’s ambition. The negotiations for his contract extension are going to be complicated, but they are clearly worth it.
Article written by Jeremy
