Salisu didn’t arrive at the club peak fitness following his €15m move. He didn’t immediately integrate the first-team set-up, but he had been training with his new teammates in recent weeks, alluding to an imminent return. Adi Hütter even evoked the idea that the former Southampton centre-back would feature after the September international break.

However, it was announced in mid-September that he would undergo surgery on a pubalgia (groin) injury after feeling “persistent pain” during the international break. However, Salisu now looks to be edging closer to a return. Monaco held an open training session on Wednesday morning and Salisu was present and training with the rest of his teammates.His return will be a welcome one. Les Monégasques are currently decimated by injuries in defence with players such as Guillermo Maripán and Soungoutou Magassa working their way back to fitness. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Monaco have been forced into the market to sign a left-back after Caio Henrique suffered an ACL injury that could potentially rule him out until the end of the campaign. Ismael Jakobs has replaced the Brazilian in Adi Hütter’s starting XI, however, he will be absent for several weeks when he represents Senegal at AFCON. 

LFP rules stipulate that French teams can make one ‘joker’ signing outside of the January and summer transfer windows in the event of losing a player to injury, as Monaco have. The replacement has to be bought from another French club. 

Monaco now look set to complete the signing of Ouattara, who according to L’Équipe, will join for around €2m. Foot Mercato add that the Franc U20 left-back will sign a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Principality club. Ouattara is already in Monaco ahead of the imminent move. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Ouattara’s move to AS Monaco is on the verge of completion. Having lost Caio Henrique to an ACL injury, which could rule him out until the end of the campaign, Monaco are short of options at left-back. Ismail Jakobs has since filled in and will likely be expected to do so for much of the remainder of the campaign, however, he will be absent for several weeks when he represents Senegal in the AFCON. 

Monaco are permitted to make one ‘joker’ transfer, having lost Henrique to injury. The rule stipulates that in the event of a considerable injury, French clubs can buy one player, on the condition that they are bought from another French club. Les Monégasques now look set to sign France U20 left-back Ouattara. He is already in the Principality ahead of the move. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Ben Seghir has seen his minutes severely limited this season. He was the breakout star for the Principality club last season, scoring a brace on his debut against Auxerre and consolidating his place in Philippe Clement’s starting XI. The France youth international played a prominent role in pre-season but suffered a thigh injury just before the start of the Ligue 1 campaign. 

He only recently returned, coming off the bench in the dying stages of Monaco’s last two games. However, as he recovers his fitness, Ben Seghir has been playing with the Groupe Élite. He featured against Lille’s reserve side on Monday and suffered a shoulder injury. His period of unavailability is currently unknown, however, it is thought that he could be absent for several weeks. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Monaco have lacked depth at left-back since Caio Henrique suffered a potentially season-ending ACL injury earlier in the season. At the time of the injury, Adi Hütter said that the club weren’t necessarily looking to go into the market for a replacement, seeking to highlight Ismail Jakobs’ ability to compensate for the absence of the injured Brazilian. 

The option of a ‘joker’ transfer, which allows a French team to buy one player from another French team outside of the transfer window periods, therefore looked unlikely to be explored. However, Foot Mercato are now reporting that Monaco are in advanced discussions to sign Amiens’ France U20 international Ouattara. The left-back would also help compensate for Jakobs’ own absence. He is set to feature for Senegal in this winter’s AFCON. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

L’Équipe reports that Adi Hütter is set to make one change from the team that beat Metz 2-1 last time out in Ligue 1, thanks to an inspired brace from Alexsandr Golovin. The Russian attacking midfielder is set to keep his place after his impressive display against the newly promoted side. 

The one change that Hütter is expected to make should see Monaco form a back three with Denis Zakaria returning as an unorthodox centre-back and former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun dropping to the bench in his place. The rest of the team who beat Metz should all keep their starting berths. 

Monaco likely XI vs Lille:

Philipp Köhn – Wilfried Singo, Denis Zakaria, Christian Matsima – Krepin Diatta, Mohamed Camara, Youssouf Fofana, Ismail Jakobs – Alexsandr Golovin, Wissam Ben Yedder, Takumi Minamino

GFFN | Liam Wraith

L’Équipe reports that Paulo Fonseca is set to make 5 changes from LOSC’s 2-1 success in Europe. The Portuguese head coach is expected to make three changes in defence with only Bafodé Diakité keeping his place. Ismaily, Alexsandro and Lenny Yoro should all return to the starting eleven in replace of Samuel Umtiti, Tiago Santos and Gabriel Gudmundsson.

Angel Gomes is expected to drop to the bench and be replaced by Nabil Bentaleb in midfield. Yusuf Yazıcı and Rémy Cabella should keep their places in attacking midfield and on the wing following finding the scoresheet in midweek. However, Edon Zhegrova should replace Adam Ounas in the starting lineup. Jonathan David will lead the line. 

Lille likely XI to face Monaco: 

Lucas Chevalier – Bafodé Diakité, Lenny Yoro, Alexsandro, Ismaily – Benjamin André, Nabil Bentaleb – Edon Zhegrova, Yusuf Yazıcı, Rémy Cabella – Jonathan David

GFFN | Liam Wraith

Magassa has been a name on the lips of the Monaco fans for a while. The Diagonale Academy product has impressed coming through the ranks at the Principality club. His chance came last season against Stade Rennais. Down to 10 men early in the first half of the match in August 2022, Magassa steadied the ship and was essential to Monaco securing a hard-fought draw. Ultimately, however, this wouldn’t prove to be the springboard for a more prominent role. 

“After that match against Rennes, I thought that having had a good match, I anticipated that I’d get my chance. That didn’t happen. My next match was six months later against Rodez in the Coupe de France. It took time, I worked hard and I played with the Groupe Élite but I was disappointed during these six months where I wasn’t playing in the first team,” said Magassa.

A dawning realisation

Magassa would have to be patient. He was used sparingly, if at all, by Philippe Clement, but he quickly earned the trust of new manager Adi Hütter. However, as the club’s pre-season preparations progressed, there was a slow realisation that Magassa would feature in an unfamiliar role. 

Largely as a result of absences and sales, Magassa, a No.6 by trade, came on against Leeds United in an LCB role for the final 20 minutes. That cameo was followed by full 90-minute matches in defence against Genoa and then Arsenal. What was unclear, however, was whether Magassa would feature quite so frequently when the season got underway. The response was a pleasant surprise. 

“Honestly, I thought I’d get game time but not as much as I have had in these three months. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to express myself every weekend and to show the coach what I’m capable of,” said the Monaco academy product, who was equally surprised by the contours of his deployment. ” I wasn’t expecting to play in this position. I was used to filling in at centre back for 10/15 minutes but never a full 90.” It is a role that he is more than happy to play, and in his own words, it is a position in which he is “flourishing.” 

Nevertheless, Magassa still perceives himself as a holding midfielder. “I like this position (No.6) because you run more, you see more of the ball, but I try to bring as much as possible as a defender. I have a lot of fun in midfield and I like the position a lot,” said the Frenchman, who cites his distribution, aggressivity, directness, physicality and risk-taking as his primary strengths. 

Elite inspirations

Whether Magassa’s future lies in midfield or in defence, he can draw on some elite inspirations. He has trained with players such as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Axel Disasi and Benoît Badiashile. There are undeniable similarities between Magassa and Badiashile, both of whom like to be aggressive and push into the midfield out of possession. “Similarities? I’m not necessarily sure, but they are great players and I was inspired by them. When they were here, I tried to learn from them on a daily basis, to see how they worked, how they were in matches and I solicited advice from them,” said Magassa. 

He added, “Benoît did great things at the club and he was also of course a player that played on the left of the defence. Even if I play on the left, I’m a right-footer who can also play the ball out well, which I try to take inspiration from because it was really his strength. If I can be inspired by Benoît, as a defender, I’ll be happy.”

Photo source:  AS Monaco

Badiashile, like Magassa, came through the club’s prestigious academy. The Chelsea defender is naturally an inspiration to Magassa and a relatable one. It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Magassa since arriving at the Principality club. “At the start, it wasn’t easy. I was without my parents and my brother for the first time and I didn’t play a lot in the first year, but I learnt to quickly adapt.”

Magassa’s breakthrough came after the Covid break, and Monaco quickly tied him to a professional contract. The next season, he spent his time with the reserve side in the National 2. That team no longer exists and has been replaced by the Groupe Élite, which competes in the Premier League International Cup. Magassa at least partially attributes his progression to the club’s decision to create the group. “We played prestigious matches, such as the one against Manchester United at Old Trafford, like against Arsenal, West Ham United, and Bayern Munich as well. They were really high-quality matches. When you play these kinds of matches, it is easier to adapt to the professional world. It was a good idea to create the Groupe Élite at Monaco,” 
said Magassa.

The Hütter effect

Those experiences have allowed Magassa to take the next step under Hütter, under whom he has already played eight official matches. “He is a coach who has a lot of confidence in me, and I really feel that. On the pitch, he speaks with me a lot and it’s the same in training as well. Lots of that is on the mental aspects and he gives me a lot of advice on this, on how to keep focused until the end, and how to play with confidence. He is pushing me forward. I hope to repay his faith in every in which he gives me the confidence to play,” said Magassa.

Monaco are top of Ligue 1 after Round Nine, and Magassa has praised the Austrian’s ability to get the best out of a team that last season dropped off dramatically, missing out on all forms of European football for the current campaign. “He has a philosophy of football that corresponds really well with the players that are here. We have great players here and he has managed to put things in place. We have managed to adapt well because we are a team that likes to be attacking. We have great attacking players, we have great quality in our press, in our ability to win the ball back. We’ve managed to adapt to him and he has adapted to us as well,” said the Île-de-France-born player.

The reunion

However, Magassa, just like the rest of the Monaco squad, is refusing to be drawn into title talk. “It is still early. We’re only a quarter of the way through the season and the road is still long. We need to keep working hard, keep being rigorous, remain consistent and focused and fight for each other in every minute of every match and in every duel. Why not, if we keep doing that, reach our objective, which is to achieve European competition? But we’re not limiting ourselves,” said Magassa.

Whilst Monaco continue to flourish collectively, there an individual success stories. Magassa is one of them, as is Maghnes Akliouche and Chrislain Matsima. All three are now playing for the France U21 side, which gave Magassa the chance to be reunited with former Monaco manager Thierry Henry. “I already met and spoke with him on many occasions whilst I was in the academy because he was very close with the young players when he coached here at Monaco. I remember I first met him when I was playing for the U17 side. To meet with him again with Les Bleuets is something that I am really proud of. He was a great player and now a great coach too. He gave me good advice that I took on board and that I am trying to work into my game day by day,” said Magassa. 

Magassa is part of what is being described as a “golden generation,” with players such as Warren Zaïre-Emery, Mathys Tel and Rayan Cherki catching the eye. However, a step up to the senior side isn’t on Magassa’s mind. “There are lots of steps to take and there is a lot of room to progress to get to that level. I need to challenge myself on a daily basis, to learn from my errors, to seek advice, to really analyse my game. I’m trying to work day by day and not to look too far into the future. I need to focus on the steps that I have to take today,” he said.

‘I don’t really limit myself’ – Magassa

Whilst Magassa isn’t thinking about a call-up to Didier Deschamps’ side, that is not to say that he is lacking in ambition. Quite the opposite. The Frenchman is brimming with self-confidence and has the mentality to match. “I don’t really limit myself and I don’t set myself any specific objectives […] I think if I continue to work, if I stay disciplined, applied and I listen to advice and remain humble, there is no reason why I can’t reach the highest level. I think everything comes with work. You also need to avoid injuries and have good people around you, which I do. If you have all that, there is no reason not to be a great player and play in the biggest matches,” Magassa told Get French Football News.

Many of Monaco’s best ultimately make the move away, but for Magassa there is not yet any question of a departure. “I am already playing at a very big club in the form of Monaco, in a good league as well,” said Magassa. The Frenchman is fully focused on his daily development and becoming the “great player” that he believes he can become.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Photo credit: Luke Entwistle

Matsima has come through Monaco’s prestigious La Diagonale academy and has now made 38 appearances for the first team. He spent the first half of last season on loan at Ligue 1 rivals FC Lorient, but following Benoît Badiashile’s departure to Chelsea in January, he was recalled to the Principality club. He went on to make eight appearances for Les Monégasques in the 2022/23 season, and this season, he has consolidated his place in the squad. 

The Frenchman has already made four appearances this campaign, and he has also forced himself into the France U21 setup, earning his first call-up from Thierry Henry. With Matsima now a fully-integrated member of the first-team squad, Monaco have extended his contract by a further year. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Okou has only made one senior appearance for the Principality club. The centre-back was on the fringes of the squad last season, often making the matchday squad, however, that has not been the case this season. Okou is yet to be included in a matchday squad this season and has featured solely with the club’s Groupe Élite.

Speaking last week, Monaco manager Adi Hütter confirmed that Okou was nearing a departure, “I hope we find a good deal with Yllan Okou because he’s a good player, and if it becomes official, I will be happy for both sides. On one side, the club get a good player, and on the other, the player gets to play. It’s important for Okou and for us,” said Hütter in a press conference, attended by Get French Football News.

Okou announced his departure from Monaco on social media on Sunday before the two clubs confirmed the deal on Monday. The French centre-back joins the Corsican side on a ‘joker’ transfer. Monaco will receive a small fee, as well as a sell-on percentage. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle