When the Ligue 1 summer transfer window opened on 16th June, few could have predicted that Esteban Lepaul would be one of its main protagonists. The Angers striker had certainly had a strong season (nine goals in 27 league games), but had just signed a contract extension until 2028.
So it came as no surprise to see him start the match against Paris FC on the opening day of the 2025-26 season. Nor did anyone suspect that his celebration of the winning goal would be his last for the SCO supporters. No one… except perhaps himself.
Because Lepaul was well aware of what was going on behind the scenes.
In search of an offensive element, Stade Rennais seemed to have set their sights on the 25-year-old player. The Breton club even made an initial offer of €10 million to Angers, who were asking for €15 million more. But as the days went by, the two sides moved closer to an agreement. And on 28th August, Lepaul was finally transferred to the Rouge et Noir. A real blow for the supporters.
For Alexandre Dujeux, the Angers coach, this was no time for emotion. With three days to go before the transfer window closes, he knows that the SCO’s financial situation will not allow him to strengthen his squad. He now had to be resourceful.
And when solutions cannot come from outside, you have to know how to take advantage of those available in your environment. In Angers, these solutions come in the form of youth. Since the start of the season, six of the 20 players used by Dujeux have been aged 20 or under.
Facing Rennes, whom Angers hosted on the third matchday, it was to Prosper Peter, who had just become of legal age, that the 49-year-old coach decided to entrust the keys to his attack. A leap into the unknown for the Paris native, who was about to celebrate his first professional start, having made only three appearances and played 30 minutes in Ligue 1 up to that point.
Yet Dujeux wanted to relieve him of any pressure associated with this new role. “No pressure, Prosper… You’re going to score one, you’ll see, it’s going to be fine,” he was seen reassuring his player in an inside clip released by the club after the match.
And of course, it didn’t fail.
After the break, with his team trailing by a goal, Peter burst onto the scene. With a victorious header, the 18-year-old striker beat Brice Samba to level the score for Angers. In doing so, at 18 years and 22 days old, he became the fourth youngest goalscorer in SCO history, behind Michel Audrain (17 years, nine months and 22 days), Marc Berdoll (17 years, seven months and 23 days) and Mohamed-Ali Cho (17 years, seven months and 10 days).
“It’s a goal I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. When I scored, I was somewhere else; it felt like it wasn’t me who had scored,” recalled the teenager in an interview arranged a few days later.
“What’s more, my family was there: my parents and my brothers. That made the moment even more powerful. It makes me want to score even more, to relive that kind of moment. It was very emotional for me.”
Peter came close to scoring again against Metz last Sunday. But Jonathan Fischer, who made two crucial saves against Angers, thwarted him. Not that this has caused Dujeux to lose confidence in him, as he is now expected to start him for the third consecutive time this weekend against Lyon.
“Prosper Peter played well against Rennes and Metz. He didn’t get carried away by his emotions. He created chances and had a good game,” said the SCO coach at the pre-match press conference.
On the pitch at Groupama Stadium, where he played the first away minutes of his career in black and white last season, Peter should once again have the opportunity to repay his manager for the faith he has shown in him. This time not as a substitute, but as Angers SCO’s starting striker.
