Saint Etienne Still Keen On Middlesbrough Midfielder
Middlesbrough midfielder Abdoulaye Kante could yet return to Saint Etienne this summer, despite the French club allowing their purchase option to expire.
Kante spent the second half of last season on loan with Saint Etienne after struggling to make an impact at Boro following his arrival from Troyes. The agreement included an option to buy, but that was always expected to depend on Saint Etienne winning promotion back to the French top flight.
They missed out in the play-offs, meaning the clause expired without being activated. However, fresh reports in France suggest the Ligue 2 club have not abandoned all hope of bringing the 20-year-old back to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Kante made 16 appearances during his loan spell and established himself as a regular before returning to Teesside. The midfielder joined Middlesbrough last summer in a deal worth around £3m including performance-related add-ons.
His first few months at the Riverside were disrupted by injury, while the managerial change from Rob Edwards to Kim Hellberg also altered the picture. Kante did not make an appearance under Hellberg before being allowed to leave on loan in January.
Boro may now have a decision to make. Hayden Hackney has left for Everton, while Alan Browne has also departed following the end of his loan spell, leaving Middlesbrough lighter in midfield ahead of a major summer rebuild.
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