Hotly coveted

Cult club instead of relegation – ÖFB pro to “Greens”?

Cham (right) in the ÖFB team with France colleague Danso(Bild: GEPA pictures)

ÖFB team player Muhammed Cham is said to be on the radar of Saint-Étienne in France. The attacking ace could thus remain in Ligue 1 after Clermont's relegation.

Ten-time champions, the record title winners in France until last year with Paris SG - and now Saint-Étienne are back in Ligue 1. The cult and traditional club, which defeated Metz in the promotion relegation play-off, is looking to strengthen its squad. With Muhammed Cham? According to French media reports, the attacking player has landed on the radar of the "Greens".

Muhammed Cham (right)(Bild: APA/AFP/FRANCK FIFE)

And could thus remain in Ligue 1 after relegation with Clermont Foot. The 23-year-old Viennese impressed last season with eight goals and four assists for the bottom club and has a good reputation. And despite having a contract until 2025 plus an option, he recently emphasized "that I see myself ready for the next step. I can also imagine staying in France, I feel very comfortable here."

There has been rumored interest in Cham from Turkey (Trabzonspor) to the USA (Charlotte FC) - some forums even want to see him as an addition to the Paris SG squad. "Mo", who has a market value of 6 million euros, always said: "The most important thing is that the overall package is right for me, that I can play and develop well." The fact that Saint-Étienne took notice of him is obvious in geographical terms alone. After all, Clermont is less than 150 kilometers away by car from the "Greens", for whom Laurent Blanc and Michel Platini once played.

European Championship dream unfulfilled
Cham had also recently been hoping to take part in the European Championship, but was not nominated by team boss Ralf Rangnick, who substituted him in the 6:1 test win against Turkey. "That's part of soccer. I'll try to keep doing my best and work hard for my chance," said the former Admiran, who was on vacation with Aiwu and Adamu in southern Spain. And could now end up at a traditional club in Ligue 1.