Pierre Ekwah continues training boycott after Sunderland Exit

Pierre Ekwah’s summer transfer saga has spiralled into a full-blown standoff in France. The 23-year-old midfielder left Sunderland after Saint-Étienne exercised their €6m purchase option in June. But the Frenchman is furious with how the move unfolded, and three months later, he is still boycotting training.

According to Jeunes Footeux, Ekwah only wanted to remain at Saint-Étienne if they stayed in Ligue 1. Instead, following relegation to Ligue 2, the deal was forced through without his consent.

The former Sunderland man has made it clear he never wanted to join ASSE under these circumstances. He discovered the move was happening only after relegation and feels betrayed by the process.

The midfielder’s refusal to integrate has created chaos. Meetings with club officials and his representatives on August 28 ended in stalemate, with both sides unwilling to compromise.

A potential solution was to sell Ekwah on quickly, but Saint-Étienne rejected multiple approaches. Levante reportedly tabled two bids — first a paid loan with a €6.5m buy option, then a €500k loan with a €7m obligation. Glasgow Rangers also expressed interest.

Despite these lifelines, Saint-Étienne stood firm, keeping a player who doesn’t want to be there.

The standoff has now turned ugly. Reports suggest Saint-Étienne could impose disciplinary sanctions and have even hired bailiffs to handle potential financial penalties. With most European transfer markets now closed, the saga is set to drag on until January.

For now, Ekwah is refusing to report to training and shows no sign of backing down.

FootballPlace analyst John William says this is a lose-lose situation:

“Saint-Étienne have a player who doesn’t want to be there and is refusing to train, while Ekwah has shut down his own career momentum. Sunderland will feel vindicated in moving on, but this is a lesson in how forced transfer clauses can backfire. Unless ASSE sell in January, this risks becoming toxic.”

With no resolution in sight, Ekwah’s boycott looks set to continue until the January transfer window opens. Levante and Rangers could reignite their interest, but much will depend on whether Saint-Étienne lower their demands.

For now, both club and player are locked in a stalemate — one that threatens to derail Ekwah’s development and Saint-Étienne’s season.

👉 Should Saint-Étienne cash in on Ekwah in January — or stand firm and risk further disruption?