Ahead of their Champions League tie with Man City, we highlight some of the French side's best young talent...
Fabinho
That Fabinho is a former team-mate of Xabi Alonso, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo will form the basis of a difficult trivia question one day.
The Brazilian made one appearance for Real Madrid on loan from Rio Ave in 2013, and has four Brazil caps, yet is only now seeping into worldwide consciousness.
Monaco handed the then-21-year-old another chance in Europe in 2013, and over 100 appearances later he is an integral cog in their wheel.
In the 2014/15 season, they conceded just 28 goals in 49 matches with Fabinho as their right-back, before he successfully adapted into his current holding midfield position.
He is a powerful runner, strong tackler, and has five goals so far this season – not bad for a defensive-minded player.
Jorge Mendes’ client, he is naturally linked with moves away commonly.
A move to Manchester City has been mooted – hardly unique for the players in this list – though he is presumably an attractive prospect to several others.
Tiemoue Bakayoko
Bakayoko owes his career surge to an ex-player whose style of play he clearly replicates.
When Claude Makelele joined Monaco as a coach in January 2016, Bakayoko was easily distracted, falling way short of fulfilling his potential.
“I took too many risks, but when you play in this position you have to be calm and effective,” Bakayoko said, when asked how the man who defined his own role influenced his game.
The 22-year-old is imposing defensively, but strong in attack, too.
Bakayoko has completed the 13th-most dribbles in Ligue 1 this season, more than PSG’s Lucas Moura and Hatem Ben Arfa.
The Monaco player most regularly linked with several high-profile clubs – Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are all said to be seriously interested – is perfectly suited to English football.
Thomas Lemar
Lemar’s impact on the world stage has been a slower burner than N’Golo Kante’s, after both left Caen in the summer of 2015.
The former, though, has fitted perfectly into Monaco’s commitment to a young, vibrant team, weighing in with seven goals already this season.
But Lemar’s qualities are better illustrated by the fact that only seven players have made more key passes in Ligue 1 this term.
Quick and skilful on the counter-attack, the Frenchman has operated on the left wing for most of the current campaign, performing well enough to be Ligue 1’s eighth-best player, according to WhoScored.
Consistency and experience could well see him make the next step to a European giant.
Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva burst onto the scene at the 2015 Under-21 European Championships, being named in the team of the tournament after helping his side to the final.
Indeed, Silva’s progress at Monaco has been such that only injury blocked his inclusion in the senior team’s tournament-winning Euro 2016 squad.
A good creator, with quick feet, outstanding vision and a decent goalscoring record, Football Manager aficionados have been aware of a player who is attracting glances from several of Europe’s elite for some time.
The January Ligue 1 player of the month has been heavily linked with Manchester United this week – with one scout quoted as saying he is “perhaps the best” player in the division.
He does, too, join all three of his above team-mates in WhoScored’s top 20 players in France so far this season.
Kylian Mbappe
Monaco’s youngest ever player and youngest ever goalscorer, Mbappe is poised for stardom.
Obvious comparisons with Thierry Henry have been made – journalist Julien Laurens believes he is better than the Premier League legend at the same age – after a dramatic rise to the first team.
The 18-year-old did not start this campaign as a regular starter.
Indeed, only this month has he seemingly cemented his place in the side to the extent that he is a likely starter against Manchester City this week.
Four goals in starts against Montpellier and FC Metz prompted Laurens’ comments, while Henry himself has praised him.
Another player who has benefitted from Monaco’s commitment to youth, he is not as physically imposing as some of his team-mates, but is rangy and exceptionally quick and skilful in the penalty area, perfect for his side’s counter-attacking style.
Comparisons with Henry are not false. He is genuinely similar in the way that he drifts in from the left-hand-side to great goalscoring effect.
Perhaps we can expect similarly great things.
What do you make of our selections? Would you highlight any other Monaco players? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments section below.
