Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy… Tiemoue Bakayoko – Monaco’s 2016/17 team was star-studded.
It was a season that ended with them being crowned champions of France, as well as claiming a place in the Champions League semi-finals, beating Manchester City en route.
It was inevitable the bigger European clubs would make a move for some of Monaco’s stars.
The players knew it too, and at the end of the season Monaco’s players changed the name of their own WhatsApp group to “transfer mercato” (transfer market), as mentioned in The Times, who spoke to Silva, now of City.
City paid £43million for the likeable midfielder, as well as £52million for Mendy, who likes to play practical jokes on his team-mate. “When he throws me in the pool and the water’s cold, that’s the worst,” Silvatold the Times, adding “it’s all right, we have fun together.” Monaco paid just £23million to sign the pair.
Bakayoko joined Chelsea in 2017 for £40m, Mbappe moved to PSG on loan ahead of a £165m transfer – he was 18 – and Fabinho joined Liverpool for £43m in 2018.
Thomas Lemar moved to Atletico Madrid for £52m and Wolves snapped up Joao Moutinho for £5m.