Red Star have pulled off an impressive move on the transfer market. By signing Balthazar Pierret, a midfielder who recently played in Italian Serie A with Lecce, the Saint-Ouen-based club have completed a signing that is both surprising and ambitious for Ligue 2.
At 25 years old, Pierret arrives in a particular context. Currently under contract with Lecce, who sit 17th in the Italian league, the defensive midfielder has played very little this season, making only three appearances. He is no longer part of the plans of head coach Eusebio Di Francesco, a situation that contrasts sharply with the previous campaign. Indeed, last season he was an important member of the squad, playing 30 matches and contributing to the club’s survival, finishing 14th in Serie A. Seeing a player coming from the Italian top flight join Ligue 2 therefore represents a genuine opportunity for Red Star.
Mercato : le milieu de Lecce Balthazar Pierret a choisi le Red Star
— Le Parisien | sport (@leparisiensport) January 30, 2026
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An ambitious gamble for Red Star
This recruitment comes in a weakened area of the pitch. Following the departures of Joachim Eickmayer, who moved to Amiens, and Samuel Renel, now at Rouen, the Paris-region club urgently needed to strengthen its midfield. The choice therefore fell on Balthazar Pierret, who arrived from Lecce, where he had been playing since 2024. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but the Italian club reportedly negotiated a 50% sell-on clause in the event of a future transfer, a sign of the confidence placed in the player’s potential.
From a sporting perspective, Pierret is a right-footed defensive midfielder, capable of providing physical impact while also carrying the ball forward. Originally from Cormeilles-en-Parisis, in the Île-de-France region, he is well acquainted with French football and is returning to a region he knows well.
An atypical career, driven by a desire for redemption?
Trained at OGC Nice (2017–2020), Balthazar Pierret never signed a professional contract there. This first disappointment was followed by a difficult spell at Boulogne-sur-Mer, where he was sidelined. Rather than giving up, the midfielder chose exile to relaunch his career. He then joined Dinamo Bucharest for six months in 2022, a former giant of Romanian football, where he rediscovered enjoyment and regular playing time, as he explained in an interview (original source in french) with the LFP ((French Professional Football League).
A true globetrotter, Pierret also spent time in Poland with FCB Escola Varsovia, an academy affiliated with FC Barcelona. Back in France, he established himself at Quevilly-Rouen Métropole, playing numerous matches and arguably enjoying his best season in 2023–2024, scoring five goals in Ligue 2.
