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Month: June 2022

The ASM rumour mill: Minamino, Badiashile, Ramazani, Matsima, Disasi

by: Luke Entwistle
17/06/2022

With the sale of Aurélien Tchouaméni completed, AS Monaco are already looking to reinvest the reported €100m that they received for the sale, whilst more players are also linked with departures.

Takumi Minamino – Linked by Foot Mercato to AS Monaco – Speaking to L’Équipe in the wake of the Principality side’s draw against RC Lens on the final day of the season, sporting director Paul Mitchell revealed that he wished to recruit “an offensive element, either a wide-man or a centre-forward.” Minamino is seemingly their prime target to fulfil that objective. The Liverpool attacker, who has been deprived of game time at Anfield, could be available for as little as €15m this summer.

Monaco could face competition from Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Southampton. However, according to Foot Mercato’s Sébastien Denis, Monaco are “fixed” on the idea of signing the 27-year-old Japanese international, and have made him a priority.

Largie Ramazani – Linked by La Dernière Heure to AS Monaco – The former Manchester United academy player has thrived since arriving at La Liga 2 side Almeria. Having joined on a free in 2020, this year he played a pivotal role in getting the side promoted to La Liga. During that campaign, the 21-year-old scored eight goals and registered one assist, and his club regard him as a “very important element for the future.”

However, Monaco manager and compatriot Philippe Clement could be willing to test their resolve to keep the player. According to reports, Clement “appreciates his profile” and could make an offer for the player. Given how highly regarded Ramazani is at his current club and that he has a contract that runs until 2025, it could be difficult to dislodge the Belgian forward.

Justin Kluivert – Linked by Il Romanista to AS Monaco – Another option to reinforce Monaco’s forward line could be Roma’s Kluivert. The Dutch international spent last season on loan at Riviera rivals OGC Nice, but they decided against activating their purchase option on the player. Monaco are now interested in the player and have reportedly enquired about his availability. After a solid, but not spectacular year at Nice, he could be available for around €15m. The deal is reportedly being handled by the heir’s of Mino Raiola, who have an established headquarters in Monaco. It remains to be seen whether Monaco will follow through on their enquiry and solidify their interest in a player, who has just one-year remaining on his contract in the Italian capital.

Benoît Badiashile – Linked by RMC to Sevilla – Last week Newcastle United, Manchester United and Chelsea were revealed to be interested in Monaco’s France U21 international. This week, La Liga side Sevilla look to have joined the race. The Spanish side see Badiashile as a replacement for Diego Carlos, who left earlier this summer to join Aston Villa. Consequently, they are looking for a replacement and will reportedly “soon make an offer” to the Principality side. According to L’Équipe, Newcastle had a €40m bid rejected for the French defender in January, so he, like Tchouaméni, won’t leave on the cheap if he is to leave at all. Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi has already conducted “several meetings,” but the Spanish side face significant competition as Juventus have also reportedly joined the race to sign one of Europe’s most coveted defenders.

Chrislain Matsima – Linked by RMC to Lille and Angers – The French U20 is in search for increased game-time and is set for talks with the club in order to ascertain how to attain it. Meanwhile, Lille and Angers could be set to offer him what he desires. Both sides have made “first contact” with Monaco for a move either on loan or on a permanent deal, whilst two German sides are also reportedly interested and have made contact with the player’s entourage. It is not yet clear whether it is Monaco’s preference to retain the player for the upcoming season, send him out on loan in order to gain experience, or sell him.

Axel Disasi – Linked by Marca to Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur – Another Monaco defender linked with a move is Disasi, and given that Monaco boasted the joint fourth best defensive in Ligue 1 last season, it is no surprise. Disasi has admirers in Spain and it is Atletico Madrid that are “closely following” the defender according to Spanish media. Monaco, however, consider him an “important player” and have therefore not set a price tag. Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in the player and have reportedly been tracking his progress for the last two years.

 

 

Photo of Axel Disasi, Monaco defender, by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

The ethereal brilliance of Adam Bricusse

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/06/2022

G&M Design gallery has unveiled its latest exhibition titled ‘Immerse’ by British artist Adam Bricusse, an incredible display of one man’s fascination with nature and featuring his jaw-dropping butterfly series.

It’s been a busy week for artist Adam Bricusse and G&M Design gallery owner Tina Green. After a beautiful inauguration dinner on Tuesday night, the pair were back in the gallery on Avenue Princess Grace on Wednesday evening for an opening cocktail with Monaco Ambassadors Club members.

Guests were treated to a private showing of the artist’s work; giant, colourful pieces that explode from the black walls of the Monegasque gallery as if they were always destined to be there.

In fact, Bricusse had just four weeks to prepare this exhibition after the scheduled artist cancelled unexpectedly, finishing five extra pieces in record time.

“I have never done a show with such short notice,” laughs Adam Bricusse. “Tina Green also wanted five extra paintings, so I worked from 5am to midnight for four weeks solid. It normally takes about a month to complete one piece.”

The Butterfly series by Adam Bricusse, photo by Monaco Life

A month seems rather short when you see the detail of these masterpieces. The illuminous butterfly wings, purposely created without bodies to reflect the ethereal nature of the insect, are mesmerising in their complexity. It is as if someone placed a giant magnifying glass over the canvas, revealing the intricate details of a butterfly’s natural beauty.

And that’s exactly what happened to Bricusse 30 years ago, thanks to the British natural scientist and author Dame Miriam Rothschild.

“In the 1990s, Miriam Rothschild gave me access to her entire butterfly collection and allowed the glass to be removed. So, with my micro lens, I got all my source material years ago,” reveals the artist. “And I play with them, I manipulate the colours, blur them, and make them look like they’re moving.”

In addition to the well-known Butterfly paintings is his Scarab series, both of which have evolved and progressed over the years and are now almost exclusively done as commissioned work. It is therefore quite a coup for Monaco to have them on public display at the gallery.

Drawing is Adam Bricusse’s favourite technique, photo by Monaco Life

Depending on the subject, says Bricusse, he will also use drawing (his favourite technique) or silk screen in addition to paints, giving the pieces different finishes so each is unique. “Sometimes I crack them, or I dust them with gold. The ones here have an iridescent paint on them, which shines in white and blue in the light,” he says. “They just couldn’t look better against these black walls.”

Adam Bricusse was born in London in 1964 and grew up between Britain, France and the USA. He was educated at St. Martins School of Art and The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art at Merton College, Oxford, and has been a practicing artist ever since. He currently works between studios in London and the south of France.

A 3D piece by Adam Bricusse, photo by Monaco Life

G&M Design gallery always features young, collectable contemporary art, and Tina Green says she is very happy with her latest exhibit.

“I am thrilled to have Adam’s work here, I absolutely love what he does. I love his oils, his butterflies. I think he is an incredibly talented artist and a very nice man,” she tells Monaco Life.

Other highlights of ‘Immerse’ include animal drawings, his spaceman series, 3Ds, and the Queen silk screens, created for Art Save the Queen in London and recreated for this Monaco exhibition.

‘Immerse’ by Adam Bricusse will be on show at G&M Design gallery until September.

Visit Monaco Life’s Instagram page for videos of the exhibition, and click on the gallery below to see more photos from ‘Immerse’…

 

 

Photos by Monaco Life, top picture source G&M Design gallery

 

 

 

Airport ads new Abu Dhabi route this summer

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/06/2022

Etihad Airways is now offering two flights a week for the next three months between Nice Côte d’Azur and the United Arab Emirates, making it the fourth Gulf routing to come to the region.

Starting 15th June and lasting for the summer season, Etihad Airways is running two flights, on Wednesdays and Sundays, between Nice and Abu Dhabi. This route makes it not only easier for passengers to visit Abu Dhabi but provides a convenient connection spot for those heading onward to Asia and Oceania.

“This new route, operated with a modern aircraft, symbolises our strategy, which is to reconcile the development of our network, the improvement of our long-haul connectivity for the benefit of the dynamism of our territory, with our desire to seek the best environmental efficiency through use of the most modern and less emissive aircraft”, said Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Airports of the Côte d’Azur.

The reference to environmental standards comes from the airline’s decision to run the flights on a fuel-efficient Dreamliner B787-9 aircraft that boasts 28 business class seats and 262 economy class ones. The flight from Nice to Abu Dhabi is direct, and the return features a stop in Rome.

“Etihad is pleased to strengthen air connectivity between Abu Dhabi and France with the establishment of our summer service to Nice,” added Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales and Cargo at Etihad Airways. “The Côte d’Azur is the perfect holiday destination, and we are confident it will appeal to leisure holidaymakers in the UAE. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming travellers from France on board our B787 Dreamliners to experience our award-winning product, service and warm Emirati hospitality.”

This marks the fourth Gulf destination connected to Nice, the others being Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain.

 

 

Photo source: Nice Côte d’Azur airport

 

 

 

 

We’re havin’ a heat wave…

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/06/2022

Monaco’s beaches are looking very attractive at the moment as temperatures hit the high 20s and will continue to do so into next week, while some parts of France head closer to 40°C.

Météo-France has given fair warning: it’s going to be hot this weekend in the country. Very hot.

The French meteorological service is forecasting a serious rise in temperatures as a wave of heat pours over the border from Spain this weekend. The hot weather has already hit in some parts of the country, with the mercury soaring to 35º to 36ºC in the southwest.

A gradual spread north and eastward means the whole nation is looking at warmer than usual conditions brought on by an area of low pressure located between the Azores Islands and Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, which has created a bubble of warm air that is sitting over Western Europe. 

What this means in practical terms is that the middle swath of the country will be looking at 32º to 39ºC, while the Med’s coastal regions, including Monaco, will be closer to around 28°C, peaking at possibly 30°.

Nights won’t offer much relief, as forecasters predict they won’t dip below 25º in our region.

Storms that will hit other western parts of France on Sunday, bringing the temperatures down, however they are not expected to reach the coast, with the thermometer remaining in the high 20’s all of next week as well.

 

 

Photo by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

 

 

Recap: Parliament of Small European States meeting

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/06/2022

Presidents and representatives of the Parliament of Small European States met in Monaco recently, giving them a chance to discuss shared challenges, opportunities and interests. Here are the outcomes.

What do the Principality of Monaco, the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Malta, Montenegro and the Republic of San Marino all have in common?

They are all members of the Parliament of Small European States, which held its 15th Conference in Monaco from 12th to 14th June.

The meeting was presided over by National Council President Stephane Valeri with the representatives and presidents of the nations coming together to discuss how these countries “share numerous interests based on common values, and face similar problems” such as strong commitments to uphold international law and human rights, and finding solutions to increase the attractiveness of small states to improve economic development and grow the tourism sectors.

The meeting also covered the importance of interparliamentary cooperation as a means of fostering understanding, especially on such hot topics as the environment, the economy, gender equality and social issues, as well as a way to gain more visibility on the European and international stages for small countries.

As is still the case for most nations, Covid’s impact is still being felt, and the meeting allowed participants to discuss ways to nurture tourism through Monaco’s invitation for representatives from that sector to join in. They also resolved to explore ways to better prepare in the event of future health crises, focusing on citizens’ needs, priorities and expectations.

 Monaco had previously asked the Tourist Offices from these countries to promote themselves in the Principality to visitors and residents via display stands, which have proved to be worthwhile.

The issue of women in executive roles was addressed, and the members thought it necessary to continue to update legislation and practices to create the right conditions for gender equality to flourish. Some ideas on how to accomplish this were by breaking stereotypes or encouraging more women to become active on the political scene.

The Parliament of Small European States also touched on the war in Ukraine. They agreed they would “collectively enhance all their Parliamentary efforts in exploring all possible venues on a Parliamentary dimension, with both countries to lead towards a peaceful solution after the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” according to a press release by the Monaco government.

The meeting adjourned with an agreement to meet again in 2023 in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

 

 

Photo source: Conseil National

 

 

 

Analysis: Filling AS Monaco’s Tchouaméni-shaped hole

by: Luke Entwistle
16/06/2022

In selling Aurélien Tchouaméni, AS Monaco have lost one of the world’s best midfielders, and according to Philippe Clement, replacing him will be “impossible.” So, what are Monaco’s options?

When faced with the challenge that a departing player poses, the Principality side often look inwards, leaning on their academy, which has for many years now been an efficient assembly-line of first-team worthy products. But they won’t be able to do that this time.

The sheer size of the hole that Tchouaméni departure has created, means that Monaco will have to dig deep in their wallets to fill it in. Whilst Monaco certainty have some promising midfield youngsters on their books, none quite fit the criteria, whilst the psychological pressure of stepping into the shoes of one of Monaco’s greatest exports in recent years is undoubtedly too strong a burden to place on young shoulders.

Amongst the senior set-up there isn’t a ready-made replacement either, and due to Tchouaméni’s skill set especially in the defensive phase, it isn’t possible to mask his absence from their midfield.

Whilst Youssouf Fofana excelled towards the end of the season, he is not the same profile as Tchouaméni. He certainly couldn’t play as the sitting midfielder in the 4-1-4-1 system that Clement deployed when he first arrived on Le Rocher, and although he has shown himself once again to be adept in a midfield pivot, he needs to be accompanied by a more defensive element. That element won’t be Jean Lucas, who is more of a free-roaming 8, nor will it be the diminutive Eliot Matazo, whose play style more closely resembles that of Fofana rather than Tchouaméni.

Whilst Tchouaméni is an adept progressive midfielder (5.66 progressive passes per/90), this is a function largely shared with Fofana, who is the most progressive carrier of the ball (5 progressive carries per/90). It is in his defensive work that Tchouaméni’s “irreplaceable” qualities become quickly apparent.

Amongst his team-mates, he completes the most tackles (2.92 per/90), despite Jean Lucas applying the most pressures per/90 (23.8). Unsurprisingly, he also makes the most interceptions, and by a long way too. According to FBref, Tchouaméni is in the top 1% of interceptors in world football: the definition of irreplaceable for a team like Monaco.

The data highlight two things: firstly, that Tchouaméni is a world-class ball-winner and secondly that whilst he can be progressive, he very much shared that responsibility with Fofana. From there it is easier to define exactly what profile Monaco should pursue in this difficult recruitment process.

As has already been ascertained, it won’t be possible to bring in a like-for-like replacement, but an imperfect refilling of that Tchouaméni-shaped hole is possible without needing to rip up the entire road and start again.

Other clubs in the past, who have accepted the dangling €100m carrot in the past have not wisely re-invested. Tottenham’s scatter-gun approach to replacing Gareth Bale in 2013, when he was sold to Real Madrid for €101m, immediately springs to mind. But the names being linked to Monaco are indicative of a much more concentrated, tailored approach to fulfilling their needs. In their own way, Danilo and Amadou Onana, both of whom reportedly interest sporting director Paul Mitchell, according to L’Équipe, would go some way towards alleviating the impact of Tchouaméni’s departure.

Speaking in a press conference in early May, Clement revealed his admiration for Onana, telling reporters that he had tried to sign the defensive midfielder whilst he was manager of Club Brugge. Whilst he doesn’t quite boast the statistics of the departed Tchouaméni, it is clear that he is of a similar profile, whilst he also has Ligue 1 experience.

Onana’s 3.45 tackles per/90 is highly impressive, even better than Tchouaméni’s record, and by extension, all of Monaco’s other midfield options. He also boasts 2.06 interceptions per/90, which doesn’t rival Tchouaméni’s proficiency in regaining the ball, but is nonetheless better than all of Monaco’s other midfielders. The ability to intercept is inextricably linked to game intelligence and therefore experience, and at just 20, Onana has the ability to develop in this regard.

The Belgian is also a native-level French speaker, which, should he feature in a double pivot, mustn’t be overlooked. By its very nature, the double pivot partnership hinges upon automatisms and good communication, and as Onana’s likely partner would be fellow French-speaker Fofana, the language barrier, or lack thereof in this case, is another tick next to the young Belgian’s name.

The same can’t necessarily be said for the Brazilian Danilo. However, he wouldn’t be short of compatriots and other Portuguese-speaking players in the squad. Both full-backs, Caio Henrique and Vanderson are Brazilian, whilst further up the field, Gelson Martins also speaks Portuguese.

The Palmeiras midfielder’s profile recently received a boost when he was called up by the Brazilian national team for the first time, after an impressive league season with the newly-crowned Brazilian champions.

A defensive-minded midfielder, Scouted Football’s analysis of the Brazilian international reads strikingly similar to a description of Tchouaméni. “He tracks back well, filling in in the defensive line when required, and he has a strong knack for intercepting cut backs crosses into the penalty area…He will often be asked to back up the press, and he certainly has the energy for such a role… He’s very proactive with his decision making, and looks to engage opponents rather than forcing them to make a decision.”

Although Scouted Football add that he does sometimes get too easily turned and he is sometimes prone to ball-watching, these less desirable qualities are possible to eradicate with good coaching and general maturity. Just like Onana, at the age of just 21, Danilo has a lot of room for growth.

Importantly, both would also fit with Monaco’s philosophy of buying young players with high potential for further growth. Whilst there is an understandable despondency towards the future of Monaco’s future midfield having lost Tchouaméni, it must be remembered that Monaco have an unbelievable ability for renewal.

After losing Fabinho to Liverpool in 2018, two years later Monaco found a replacement who would later garner a €100m fee from the European champions. There is no reason why Onana, Danilo, or whoever else replaces Tchouaméni, can’t follow the same trajectory, and perched upon Le Rocher, they would be in the perfect place to emulate his path.

 

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life