Udinese, Glasgow Rangers, and an unnamed third club are particularly interested in signing Pierre Ekwah, a 23-year-old French midfielder who is invoking free agent status. The situation is a result of a dispute with Saint-Étienne that began in the summer of 2025 when the club, after being relegated to Ligue 2, activated a purchase option for Ekwah, who was on loan from Sunderland. The player refused to play in the lower division and terminated his contract after amicable negotiations failed. Saint-Étienne contests the validity of the termination, and the legal case is ongoing. A conciliation hearing has been postponed to the first quarter of 2026. Ekwah has 5 caps for France U20, and according to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €3.00m.