Where are they now? The 8 players Monaco sold alongside Kylian Mbappe in 2017
The 2016-17 season saw an imperious Monaco side shock the system in French football as they won Ligue 1 in stunning fashion, denying Paris Saint-Germain a fifth consecutive title.
An incredible squad had quietly been crafted and blossomed under the watch of Adi Hutter, with the star of the show being an 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe who bagged 26 league goals alongside Radamel Falcao’s 30 to fire them all the way. They also reached the Champions League semi-final before being knocked out by Juventus in what was an unforgettable campaign.
Mbappe’s move to Paris Saint-Germain (an initial loan which became permanent the following summer for €180million) was inevitable, as was a raid of their other crown jewels. They sold eight players alongside a young Mbappe that summer – we’ve taken a look at where they are now.
Bernardo Silva
Manchester City wasted no time in swooping for the midfielder who made their life a misery in the Champions League round of 16, signing Silva that same summer for a fee that could reach €70million with add-ons.
It’s fair to say those add-ons have likely been achieved and City have more than got their money’s worth. The Portugal international has spent his prime in east Manchester as one of the best attacking midfielders in world football, winning six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, a Champions League and countless other trophies.
Silva has also made the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions, but continues to be linked with a move away from City after almost joining Barcelona in 2023.
Benjamin Mendy
Also a part of the team that beat City in the Champions League, Mendy made a then-record transfer to the Cityzens alongside Silva in a £52million deal.
Six women made allegations of rape and attempted rape against Mendy. He was acquitted of all charges in 2023 following a retrial.
Mendy currently plays in France with Lorient.
Tiemoue Bakayoko
Arguably the star of the squad outside of Mbappe, much was expected of Bakayoko when he completed a £40million move to Chelsea, however his first season at Stamford Bridge was largely a flop.
After just one season, Chelsea had given up on the Frenchman and sent him on loan to Milan with an option to buy for €35million. Loans to Monaco and Napoli followed, before another loan spell with Milan where he was a part of Stefano Pioli’s Scudetto-winning squad of 2021-22, albeit as a fringe player.
Bakayoko’s Chelsea contract finally expired in 2023, allowing him to return to France on a free transfer with Lorient, who were relegated at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Allan Saint-Maximin
Laying the foundations for his later reputation, Saint-Maximin actually joined Nice from Monaco after spending the 2016-17 campaign on loan at Hannover, before starting the season with Monaco.
He made his Ligue 1 debut for the club on 4 August 2017, before joining Nice three days later. It was there where he blossomed, growing in prominence before moving to Newcastle in 2019, where he flourished in his first few seasons before fading in importance after their Saudi takeover and rise back up the Premier League.
Our favourite designer headband-wearing trickster has just joined Fenerbahce on loan for the 2024-25 season, playing under Jose Mourinho, who we imagine won’t be a fan of his flamboyant style.
Valere Germain
Germain made 60 appearances in all competitions for Monaco during the 2016-17 season and weighed in with 17 goals, before moving to Marseille where his father played during his own playing career.
The striker spent five years with the club before moving to Montpellier, but after two years there and in the Autumn of his career, Germain packed his bags and swapped the south coast of France for Sydneyy, signing for Macarthur FC in 2023.
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Abdou Diallo
Coming up through the club’s youth ranks, Diallo made five league appearances in 2016-17 before moving to German outfit Mainz.
Diallo spent a season there before signing for Borussia Dortmund, again only lasting one season before this time moving to Paris Saint-Germain.
Are you still with us? Because after returning to France from Germany, he returned to Germany on loan with RB Leipzig in 2022-23, but is now out of Europe as a whole at the age of 28, signing for Qatari side Al-Arabi in 2023.
Corentin Jean
Jean has been unable to settle since leaving Monaco in 2017, spending three years with Toulouse after an initial loan spell, then signing for Lens, before then signing for Inter Miami in 2022.
Now 29, Inter Miami bought Jean out of his contract in February 2024. He’s currently playing for their second team in MLS Next Pro.
Nabil Dirar
Dirar is now 38 years old but still going strong in Luxembourg with FC Schifflange 95, despite having briefly retired in 2023 due to ongoing injuries.
He was one of three players who won Ligue 2 and Ligue 1 with Monaco, but moved to Fenerbahce after their 2016-17 triumph and spent four years in Turkey.
A mini-journeyman stint followed towards the end of his time with Fener, including a loan to Club Brugge, a spell with Kasimpasa and spells in both Morocco and Denmark. He just can’t make his mind up.