Monaco are starting to pay for their mistakes in the transfer window

Monaco are 15th in Ligue 1 and now face the daunting task of hosting Atlético Madrid in the Champions League

By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News

Monaco are not like other clubs. PSG, Marseille and Lyon boast raucous home fans, splurge on marquee signings and all proudly claim to be the biggest and best club in Ligue 1. Monaco, however, averaged the lowest home gates in Ligue 1 last season and, since signing James Rodríguez and Radamel Falcao five years ago, they have based their success on selling their best players rather than haughtily parading big-name signings. Spearheaded by the club’s hardball negotiator-in-chief, Vadim Vasilyev, their unerring transfer policy has long been the basis of their success. This summer, however, they might finally have made mistakes.

Since Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev acquired the club in 2011, when they were floundering in Ligue 2, Monaco have worked in cycles. The plan has been to sign younger players from Ligue 1 and cost-effective overseas markets – primarily Portugal (João Moutinho, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helder Costa). Those bourgeoning talents are then played alongside a sprinkling of older pros and developed over a handful of seasons until an eye-catching achievement raises their market value.

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