Abdoulaye Kanté arrived at Middlesbrough from Troyes in July 2025 and clearly didn’t enjoy life at the Riverside Stadium.
The midfielder played 143 minutes from five matches, four in the Championship.
He didn’t make an appearance for Middlesbrough since the end of September, and his situation didn’t change after Kim Hellberg’s arrival in November.
Two months ago, the 20-year-old opened up about his difficult situation at Boro in the first half of the season.
In January, the English club allowed him to join AS Saint-Étienne on a loan deal with an option to buy. This move has worked out well so far as he’s already cemented his place at the French club.
His Ligue 2 stats are as follows:
- Appearances: 9
- Starts: 8
- Total minutes: 669
- Minutes per game: 74
Middlesbrough man reiterates transfer wish
Last month, the Boro owned player said he is already thinking about extending his stay in France.
AS Saint-Étienne face Bastia in the league clash on Saturday and ahead of this fixture, Abdoulaye Kanté attended a press conference on Thursday.
Peuple-Vert, a website dedicating their coverage to the Ligue 2 side, have relayed his comments.
The French club’s home stadium, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, is nicknamed Chaudron. When asked about the atmosphere in the stadium, he said: “Honestly, it’s indescribable. As I said, I watched the first game when I arrived, even though I hadn’t started yet.
“I was at the stadium for the match against Boulogne. I was so excited to finally make my debut, to play my first minutes, especially at the Chaudron.
“I’m very happy, very happy, and I’m surrounded by great people. I’m content. A great staff, a lively team, fans who show up for home games and even away games. I’d never seen anything like it. It’s truly impressive.”
When asked whether these months have convinced him to stay at Saint-Étienne after this season, Kanté explained: “Yes, of course [smiles].”
Summer sale beneficial for Middlesbrough
Abdoulaye Kanté is unlikely to have a future at Middlesbrough and even if he returns, he is unlikely to feature regularly.
Therefore, it’s in both Boro and the player’s interest to permanently part ways in the summer. This allows Kim Hellberg’s side to recover, either full or part of the fee invested to buy him.
