Auxerre paid €5.5 million to acquire 21-year-old Belgian international midfielder Arthur Piedfort from Westerlo. The transfer, the biggest in the club’s history, is meant to prepare the succession of Elisha Owusu, former captain of the AJA, who is leaving for Erzurumspor.

New Record Purchase

The €5.5 million spend is not sensational, but it represents the largest purchase in Auxerre’s history. The club, run by its Chinese owner James Zhou, is making a substantial investment to strengthen its Ligue 1 squad.

A Complete Midfielder for Will Still’s 4-3-3

Arthur Piedfort, who already has four caps with the Belgian U-21s, will be a key player in the heart of Will Still’s 4-3-3. Issame Charaï, Westerlo’s coach in 2025-2026, says Piedfort has “the same characteristics as left-footed Samir El-Mourabet (20), who has already made a name at Strasbourg, except he is right-footed.” Gill Swerts, the U-21 selector, adds that Piedfort is “a complete midfielder, very strong in recovery, who knows how to project himself, with quality in the final passes.”

Background and Physical Traits

Trained at PSV Eindhoven from ages 8 to 18 as a central defender, Piedfort became a true box-to-box midfielder at Westerlo from 2023. He stands 1.86 m tall and weighs 70 kg, which allows him to score from set-pieces thanks to his heading ability. He also has a leadership side he must develop by opening up more to others.

Teammates’ Reactions

Kévin Danois, a midfielder at the AJA, believes Piedfort “will be hyper-important for us” and is already creating good connections. Will Still, who knows Belgians well, says Piedfort “brings a breath of fresh air, with his own personality. When he’s on the field, he does good for everyone.”

A Big Succession

Elisha Owusu, 28, former captain of the AJA, is leaving the club for Erzurumspor. Piedfort must therefore take on the heavy succession of a Ghanaian international and the AJA’s tradition.

First Impact

The player has already shown his potential in Ligue 1, notably scoring a superb goal against Werder Bremen last Saturday, 1-0.