AJ Auxerre has loaned Chilean international defender Francisco Sierralta to Polish club Piast Gliwice, with an option to buy for the borrowing club. The news was reported this Tuesday by the outlet L'Équipe, as the Polish summer transfer window closes on Wednesday evening. The 29-year-old joined AJA in July 2025 from Watford for a fee of 1.8 million euros. He remains under contract with the Burgundy club until June 2029. This departure comes as Auxerre, sitting 18th in Ligue 1 with 0 points after three losses, prepares to host Nice on Saturday, September 12.
Francisco Sierralta made ten league appearances for AJA between August and November 2025. The center-back even scored one Ligue 1 goal during that spell. His last appearance in the Auxerre shirt dates back to December 21, 2025, in a 1-2 defeat in the Coupe de France round of 32 against Monaco. Capped twenty times by Chile, he failed to establish himself permanently in the first-team defense, which has conceded eleven goals in three matches this season.
The timing of this move is tied to transfer window schedules. The Polish window shuts on Wednesday night, providing a concrete opportunity. Piast Gliwice, currently sixth in the Polish top flight, is looking to strengthen its defensive sector. For Auxerre, it allows the club to lighten the wage bill and offer playing time to a player who was no longer in the short-term plans. The purchase option included in the loan could eventually generate additional revenue for the club.
Sierralta's exit occurs against the backdrop of managing a squad affected by absences. The club is currently without Assane Dioussé, Axel Tuanzebe, Fredrik Oppegård, Marvin Senaya, and Sekou Fofana, all listed on the injury report. This defensive departure may prompt the manager to look at other internal solutions for the match against Nice. Supporters can track the squad's evolution on the site's squad page.
The movement around Francisco Sierralta may not be an isolated case. According to the same L'Équipe report, versatile Haitian attacker Josué Casimir is close to a move to Russia. The 24-year-old, who has ten caps for Haiti and arrived in the summer of 2025, is under contract until June 2028. The Russian transfer window remains open until Thursday evening, leaving a window to finalize that deal. AJA, who are nine points behind leaders Monaco, must find solutions to improve defensive performances.
Auxerre will face Nice this Saturday at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, an important match in their bid to secure their first points of the season.
