Gérard Fernandez set to leave Saint-Étienne youth scouting

Saint-Étienne are preparing to lose one of the longstanding figures in their youth development system, with Gérard Fernandez expected to leave his recruitment role. The move would mark another step in Kilmer Sports Ventures’ reorganisation of the club beyond the senior team and bring Fernandez’s long association with the academy to a close.

Fernandez, 78, has been linked with several generations of players who came through Saint-Étienne’s system. Among those associated with the club’s development during that period are William Saliba, Wesley Fofana and Lucas Gourna-Douath. His role has also made him a symbol of continuity in the club’s approach to identifying young talent.

The structure is already shifting around him. Guillaume Leleu is taking on a larger part in youth recruitment, while Sacha Esteves has increased responsibility for post-training development. The changes point to a model built around more specialised roles and a broader geographical search for prospects.

Saint-Étienne’s academy remains central to the club’s identity, but KSV’s reorganisation has raised questions about how that tradition will be preserved. Fernandez’s expected departure captures the transition: an established figure is set to make way as the new ownership builds a different recruitment operation for the next generation.