The arrival of a world champion can hide another … or rather a departure. While AS Monaco is preparing to formalize the arrival of Paul Pogba, another operation, more discreet but just as strategic, has been completed. The Principality club, in the midst of a summer reorganization, seems to want to balance entries and exits. As if the recruitment of Pogba also required some adjustments in the ranks.
A young talent loaned to Belgium
But to look more closely, this maneuver has nothing to do with the star of the star. This is the loan of Valy Konaté, a young 18-year-old left side, who joins the Bruges circle for the 2025-2026 season. Arrived in Monaco last January, the Ivorian international U23 is not sacrificed, but well oriented in a progression project. The loan, without purchase option, confirms the club's desire to bet on it in the long term.
Since his arrival, Konaté quickly established himself as an engine element of the Academy. Between his performances in the U19 championship and his role in the course of the Elite group to the final of the Challenge Espoirs FFF, the defender of 1.82 my attention. His maturity was also revealed in the Ivorian selection, where he even worn the armband during the Maurice-Revello 2024 tournament.
Monaco makes room … but not as we believe
Monaco prepares the future … with method
This loan in Belgium, within the partner club of the Cercle Bruges, is part of the continuity of the Monegasque strategy: to grow your nuggets through competitive environments. Konaté will discover the Jupiler Pro League, in a more demanding context, ideal for passing a course.
Behind the spotlights on Pogba, it is a whole silent mechanism that is set up in Monaco. The stars set up, young people are exported. And everyone, at their level, advances on their trajectory. For Valy Konaté, this departure is not a sidelining, but a logical step towards the elite.
