'Disappointed' - Sunderland loanee Pierre Ekwah addresses poor form as St Etienne win 1 in 10
The Sunderland midfielder is enduring a tough time while on loan in the French top-flight
Sunderland loanee Pierre Ekwah has addressed St Etienne’s poor form in Ligue 1.
The former West Ham man moved to St Etienne last summer on loan. The club have the option to make the deal permanent next summer for a fee reported in the French media to be in the region of £6million, while The Echo understands there is also a seven-figure loan fee attached to the deal. Ekwah.
The midfielder has featured 17 times in Ligue 1 with St Etienne struggling for form. The French outfit have slipped into the relegation zone after a 2-0 defeat at home to Rennes in their last outing. Indeed, the club have won just one of their last 10 league games. Ekwah has played in nine of the 10.
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Per Sport.FR, the Sunderland loan man wrote: “What I remember above all is that they are as disappointed as us but that they are fully behind us. At the next home game, they will be there. We are in the same boat. It was more of a message of strength, we take it like that anyway. We will fight for them, for us and for the green people because the green people must stay in Ligue 1.”
What else has Pierre Ekwah said about his loan move?
“It’s weird. I feel like I belong to Saint-Etienne. In my head, I’m not on loan,” Ekwah told Le Progres last December. “But, when I’m asked the question, I have to answer that I’m on loan. I’m between two clubs.
“Will I stay? I can’t give an answer. In my mind, the question of staying is on the table. We’ll see. There, we are talking about [the feeling of] belonging. I belong to two clubs. The players and the staff never made me feel like I was on loan. When I arrived, I said to myself; ‘I’m here for a long time.”
What did Kristjaan Speakman say about Pierre Ekwah’s loan move?
Speakman said after the deal has been completed: “Following Pierre’s arrival at Sunderland, he has developed from an Under-21 player to become a Championship midfielder, and we are proud of the role we have played in his progression. The midfield is an incredibly competitive area in our squad and this agreement represents a positive outcome for the Club and Pierre, who expressed his desire to take this opportunity and challenge himself in Ligue 1. We wish him well and look forward to revisiting his situation next summer.”