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Not many teams have seen the same level of transition as Monaco have in recent years. As recently as 2013, they were playing in the second division of French football. Fast forward five years, and they are considered one of the top sides in European football, having reached the Champions League semi-final and won the league title in that time.
The investment in the squad has been huge in recent years, and they have had some of the best players in Europe among their ranks over the past few seasons. Having sold a number of players during the last couple of summer transfer windows, they have had to rebuild once again.
The likes of Youri Tielemans, Stevan Jovetic and Aleksandr Golovin have all moved to the south of France, and Monaco will hope they have a squad capable of challenging for the Ligue 1 title once again.
They remain under the stewardship of Leonardo Jardim, who has proved that he is an excellent manager during his time at Monaco, and has shown that he is capable of getting the best out of a group of players.
However, the sales have hurt them in recent years, with genuine world-class talent regularly heading out the door. Here’s how they could line up if they hadn’t sold their top players.
Goalkeeper - Stephane Ruffier (Saint-Etienne)
Ruffier isn’t the biggest name that Monaco have let go of over the years, but he is someone who has gone on to have an excellent career away from the Stade Louis II. Ruffier left Monaco in 2011, after six years at the club, during which he made 130 appearances in all competitions, and was made captain.
He has been an excellent servant for Saint Etienne over the past seven seasons, and his consistently solid performances suggest Monaco may be regretting allowing Ruffier to leave.
Centre back - Aymen Abdennour (Marseille)
Abdennour wasn’t a man who spent much time at Monaco, but he certainly made a positive impression during his time in the south of France. He initially joined Monaco on a six-month loan from Toulouse in 2014, and after impressing in that time, made the move permanent in the summer.
After a strong season with Monaco, during which he helped them reach the Champions League quarter-finals, he joined Valencia for a fee of around £20 million, replacing Nicolas Otamendi, who joined Manchester City. Given that Monaco have always seemed to be excellent going forward, it is their defence that has let them down, so they may have preferred to keep hold of one of their better defenders.
Centre back - Terence Kongolo (Huddersfield Town)
Of all the players in this team, Kongolo is probably the one Monaco miss the least. He impressed a lot during his time with Feyenoord, and has done a good job since he joined Huddersfield Town. However, in his six months with Monaco, he flattered to deceive. He signed a five-year deal when he joined the French side in summer of 2017, but only made six appearances in all competitions before being loaned out to England. Both sides will have regrets, as Kongolo is a very good defender, he just didn’t show that at Monaco.
Fullback - Layvin Kurzawa (PSG)
Something that Monaco have suffered from in recent years is the financial power of PSG. The French giants have the funds to outbid almost any side in the world, and the sort of wages they offer are hard for any player to turn down. Kurzawa was a man who simply couldn’t reject the temptation, and joined PSG in 2015 for a fee of just over £22 million.
The 25-year-old came through the youth ranks at Monaco, and really made a name for himself at the club. He was with the club when he made his international debut in 2014, and continued to impress after joining PSG. He also became the first defender to score a Champions League hat-trick in 2017, when he netted a treble against Anderlecht.
Fullback - Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City)
Of all the players who Monaco have let go over the last few years, Mendy is one of the few who is genuinely world class. He became the most expensive defender in world football when he made the £52 million switch to Manchester City in 2017. His first season in Manchester was disrupted by a serious knee injury, that restricted him to just seven appearances in his debut campaign.
He is fully fit and firing now though, and looks like his old self this season. He is getting up and down that left flank, and looks a constant threat. Monaco made an impressive £40 million profit just one season after signing Mendy, but I have no doubt they wish he was still part of their side.
Centre midfield - Fabinho (Liverpool)
It was only earlier this summer that Fabinho left Monaco to cross the channel and move to Liverpool. The Brazilian was one of the real success stories of the Monaco business plan which has seen them sign lesser known players for low fees, then sell them on for massive profits.
Fabinho cost just £5.4 million when he left Rio Ave in 2015, but really made a name for himself in Ligue 1, and was sold to Liverpool for £40 million. The 24-year-old was sensational for Monaco in their run to the Champions League semi-final in 2017, and cemented his position as one of Europe’s top midfielders. He is yet to make a competitive appearance for Liverpool, but he will be a success in England.
Centre midfield - James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich)
James was the first big-money sale that Monaco made after their return to Ligue 1 in 2013. Rodriguez lit up the World Cup with Colombia in 2014, winning the Golden Boot. This was enough to persuade Real Madrid to make him their newest Galactico, and they splashed out nearly £70 million to bring him to the Bernabeu.
Although he never really cemented a spot in the starting XI at Real, his talent is undeniable. He is an exceptional passer of the ball, and is one of the top creative players in the world. He is currently halfway through a two-year loan with Bayern Munich, where he is reminding everyone what he is capable of.
Centre midfield - Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
With the majority of players that Monaco have sold in recent years, you would say that Monaco have done a good job of getting a high fee. However, given the current inflated fees that clubs are paying all around the world, £43 million looks a little light for a player of Bernardo’s quality.
The Portuguese midfielder is a fabulous footballer, who is as capable on the ball as any midfielder in the world right now. He didn’t set the world alight in his debut season in England, but given his start to the new season, and Kevin de Bruyne’s injury, he could be in for a huge season at City.
Attacker - Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
Martial was almost an unknown quantity when Manchester United made him the most expensive teenager in world football in 2014. He had only made 49 Ligue 1 appearances in Ligue 1, scoring 11 goals, before making the highly publicised move to Old Trafford. He had an excellent first season under Louis van Gaal, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, but his career has stalled slightly under Jose Mourinho. He is still only 22 though, so has a long time left to fulfil his undoubted potential.
Attacker - Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid)
Lemar is another man who only left Monaco this summer, making the move to Atletico Madrid. He is yet another man they have made a huge profit on, with the newly crowned World Cup winner moving on for £63 million, three years after they bought him for £3.6 million.
He had an excellent spell with Monaco, and formed a brilliant relationship with Bernardo Silva that was so important as they won the Ligue 1 title in 2017. It was almost a surprise to see him move to Atletico this summer, given that he came so close to a move to England 12 months ago.
Attacker - Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
There isn’t much to be said about Mbappe that hasn’t already been said. There isn’t a better prospect in world football at the moment than Mbappe, who had a sensational World Cup, where he won the award for best young player. He is still only 19, but has the world at his feet, and is capable of going right to the top.
He is the most expensive sale in Monaco history, having completed a £130 million move to PSG after his loan move there last season. There is no doubt that he will achieve great things in the game, it’s just a matter of where he ends up playing, whether it be Paris, or Madrid.
