Hamed Junior Traoré, the 25-year-old player on loan from Bournemouth, has revitalized his career at AJ Auxerre. Since joining the Ligue 1 team at the beginning of the season, the Ivory Coast international has become a key player for coach Christophe Pélissier.
Despite predictions of relegation for Auxerre, they have performed strongly and are currently in a comfortable mid-table position. With ten games left, relegation is not a concern for them, and Traoré has been instrumental in their success. After struggling to establish himself at Bournemouth following a €25m transfer from Sassuolo in 2023, he quickly adapted to French football. This season, he has scored nine goals and provided two assists in 21 appearances for Auxerre.
Speaking on Friday, Traoré expressed his gratitude towards Auxerre, stating, “Auxerre gave me the joy of playing football again.” Although his loan deal did not include an option to buy, he suggested he might be open to staying with the Ligue 1 club beyond this season.
“It makes you want to stay, but at the moment, we are not discussing that. We are focused on finishing the season strongly,” Traoré commented. The decision regarding the Bournemouth loanee’s future is expected to be addressed later.