Abdoulaye Kanté strengthens Les Verts' midfield!

Born in Attécoubé, a commune in the district of Abidjan, Abdoulaye Kanté grew up in the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. But before he had even reached adulthood, the young man, who was also an aspiring soccer player, quickly moved to France with dreams of playing soccer. Upon arriving in the Paris region, he immediately donned the jersey of a club well known to Saint-Étienne fans: FC Montfermeil, a partner club of ASSE, which notably produced a certain William Saliba.

With the Seine-Saint-Denis club, Abdoulaye Kanté quickly stood out within a single season. Playing for the U19N team, the midfielder impressed far beyond the borders of the Paris region. Among his suitors, the Ivorian opted for Troyes in 2022. It was a choice that paid off, symbolized by rapid progress, an accelerated move from the U19s to Ligue 2 BKT, and his first professional contract a year later. From his first professional start, marked by a goal against QRM in September 2023, to his last appearance with ESTAC against Amiens in May 2025, Abdoulaye Kanté made 47 appearances in Ligue 2 BKT. 

Last summer, Middlesbrough, second in the Championship and currently fighting for promotion to the Premier League, signed Abdoulaye Kanté. This first experience in England allowed the midfielder to discover the Championship and the EFL Cup. But it is in France, this time at Saint-Étienne, that the next chapter in Abdoulaye Kanté's career will be written. The defensive midfielder joins ASSE on loan with an option to buy. Welcome to our new number 14! 

Abdoulaye Kanté's “Vert l'Avenir” commitment

As part of its “Vert l'Avenir” CSR initiative, AS Saint-Étienne is offering all of its employees, including its players, the opportunity to get involved in one of the four areas of focus of its ASSE Cœur-Vert association: Environment, Citizenship, Sport for All, and Health.

Abdoulaye Kanté will be participating in activities related to Citizenship.

Abdoulaye Kanté: “I've felt good since I arrived here, where everyone has welcomed me and been very kind. I'm here with the ambition of helping the club rise to the top! I already love these Green People, and together, I hope we'll achieve our goals!”

Loïc Perrin, Sporting Director of ASSE: “Abdoulaye is a player we have been following for some time, and we have been in contact with him for several months. He knows our league well and brings us the defensive midfielder profile we were looking for, that of a player who enjoys winning back possession. He is a young player, of course, but one who can bring his experience to this league.”