AS Monaco, the formula for its success
Since the arrival of Dmitri Rybolovlev, the Rock club has multiplied the big hits on the transfer market. If there is a club that knows how to buy and sell in Europe, it is AS Monaco. While maintaining regularity in its results, thanks to its strategy and know-how which it uses to unearth and train the talents of tomorrow.
With the successive transfers of Kylian Mbappé (180 million euros, bonus included) in 2017 and Aurélien Tchouaméni (100 million euros, bonus included) this summer, AS Monaco became the first club to have two sales to more than 100 million euros.
A record quickly equaled by Benfica, who sold Darwin Núñez to Liverpool for 100 million euros (bonus included), three years after the sale of João Félix (127 million euros, bonus included) to Atlético Madrid.
A profit of 306.99 million euros in eight years
But with the transfers of James Rodriguez (75 million euros), Thomas Lemar (72 million euros), Anthony Martial (60 million euros), Benjamin Mendy (57.5 million euros) or even Bernardo Silva (50 million euros), AS Monaco has proven to be one, if not the most profitable club in the world in recent years.
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With his transfer to 100 million euros from AS Monaco to Real Madrid, Aurélien Tchouameni thus integrated the top 5 most expensive French players in history. A ranking presented by Kylian Mbappé and where no less than five players sold by AS Monaco present themselves (see below).
Since its return to Ligue 1 (2014), AS Monaco has spent 757.76 million euros on the transfer market. A colossal sum for a Ligue 1 club, but which has been amortized by the sales made in recent years. In total, 1.064 billion euros entered the club’s coffers thanks to the transfer market. Enough to generate a profit of 306.99 million euros in just eight seasons.
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Capital gains that have had no impact on the club’s results. On the contrary. Thanks to this often called “trading” policy, which notably inspired Lille in France, AS Monaco exploded its sales figures but also and above all multiplied its performance on the ground, with in particular a title of French champion. (2017) and a Champions League semi-final (2017) the same year.
A sign that the strategy deployed by President Rybolovlev is not purely financial, despite special sales. A fruitful and intelligent policy, since in terms of arrivals, apart from the arrivals of James Rodriguez (45 million), Radamel Falcao (43 million) and Wissam Ben Yedder (40 million), three confirmed players on the international scene, the club du Rocher has never spent more than 30 million on a player on the market.
The majority shareholder of AS Monaco affirmed on the occasion of his 10 years at the head of the club that ASM occupied an important place in his life: “ AS Monaco represents a big part of me and my life. I have been responsible for it for almost nine years. It’s not just a financial investment, it’s also a lot of time, effort and emotion. »
Also focus on young people trained at the club
Income 100 million euros, Aurélien Tchouaméni was bought “only” 18 million euros, while Bernardo Silva arrived for 15.75 million euros, before being returned 50 million. Beyond these investments in young hopefuls from outside, AS Monaco has also invested heavily in its new performance center, but also in the Diagonale, a brand new building intended to train the nuggets of tomorrow.
With Kylian Mbappé, the Principality club has also paved the way for a training club model, like Ajax Amsterdam. With Benoît Badiashile, the ASM holds one of the jewels of its training and the perfect example of the club’s long-term sports policy. Namely: train a young player within his Academy, make him hatch in the first team, see him establish himself as a manager and leave for a big European club afterwards.
We must not forget that Monaco is a micro-state and that the club cannot rely on ticket sales, like clubs in major European capitals. Chairman Rybolovlev recognized this early in 2011 when he became the club’s majority shareholder, having previously managed one of the biggest fertilizer groups in the world.
The Russian owner of ASM has not only managed to quickly get the club into Ligue 1, but has been able to develop a strategy that combines solid results in the league with success on the transfer market. All with certain financial stability.
Moreover, despite the financial support of Dmitri Rybolovlev, AS Monaco is far from having the same budget as the biggest European clubs. With a budget presented at 225 million euros for the 2021-2022 season, the club does not have the means of Real Madrid (695 million euros) or even Paris Saint-Germain (620 million).
Sales that did not impact results
Its last two seasons, after a slight slump marking the end of a successful first cycle with Mbappé, Silva, Fabinho and other Lemar, the Rock club has twice annexed the Ligue 1 podium. And since its return to Ligue 1 nine years ago, ASM has won six podiums. A new proof of regularity.
If the Monegasques failed to play in the final phase of the Champions League last season, Philippe Clément’s men have the opportunity this season to achieve it, by once again qualifying for the play-offs.
The Champions League, a vital competition in the club’s project which has notably enabled ASM to multiply record sales in recent years. The exceptional course of the 2016-2017 season has indeed made it possible to shine a good number of elements which then left for enormous sums, as stated above.
Sales that today allow AS Monaco to be the most effective club in its “trading” policy, now ahead of Benfica. If the two clubs have both sold two players for at least 100 million euros, AS Monaco has sold more players above 50 million euros (7 in total against 3 for the Portuguese club).
A remarkable performance, the result of quality work carried out over several seasons and initiated in particular by Luis Campos, today at PSG, during his time at the club. The arrival of Paul Mitchell in 2020 is also a step in this direction: to further affirm a model which has borne fruit so far and which allows AS Monaco to carve out a place for itself among the clubs which rely on the European scene.
Top 10 transfers from AS Monaco:
1. Kylian Mbappé – to PSG (2018) – Trained at the club, sold €180m
2. Aurélien Tchouaméni – to Real Madrid (2022) – bought €20m, sold €100m
3. James Rodriguez – v Real Madrid (2015) – bought €45m, sold €75m
4. Thomas Lemar – to Atlético Madrid (2019) – bought €4m, sold €72m
5. Anthony Martial – v Manchester United (2016) – bought €5m, sold €60m
6. Benjamin Mendy – to Manchester City (2018) – bought €10m, sold €57.5m
7. Bernardo Silva – to Manchester City (2018) – bought €15.75m, sold €50m
8. Fabinho – to Liverpool (2019) – bought €6m, sold €45m
9. Youri Tielemans – to Leicester (2020) – bought €25m, sold €45m
10. Tiemoué Bakayoko – to Chelsea (2018) – bought €8m, sold €40m
Top 10 transfers of French players:
1. Kylian Mbappé – Monaco v PSG (2018) – €180m
2. Ousmane Dembélé – Dortmund v Barcelona (2017) – €140m
3. Antoine Griezmann – Atlético v Barcelona (2019) – €120m
4. Paul Pogba – Juventus v Manchester United (2016) – €105m
5. Aurélien Tchouameni – Monaco v Real Madrid (2022) – €100m
6. Lucas Hernandez – Atlético v Bayern (2019) – €80m
7. Anthony Martial – Monaco v Manchester United (2015) – €80m
8. Zinedine Zidane – Juventus v Real (2001) – €77.5m
9. Thomas Lemar – Monaco v Atlético (2018) – €72m
10. Tanguy Ndombélé – OL against Tottenham (2019) – €60m