In a high-profile transfer deal confirmed on Thursday, Ligue 1 side AS Monaco has added attacking depth to its roster by signing French forward Matthis Abline from recently-relegated Nantes. The 23-year-old former France Under-21 international has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the Principality-based club, though Monaco has not publicly disclosed the full financial terms of the transfer. Multiple industry reports peg the total transfer fee at approximately 25 million euros, equal to around $28.6 million.
Abline’s performance at Nantes over the past two campaigns made him a target for Monaco, as he notched 15 goals in Ligue 1 play despite Nantes’ struggles that ultimately ended in relegation from France’s top flight. For the 2024-2025 season, Nantes will compete in Ligue 2, France’s second domestic division, opening the door for Abline’s move to a side competing in European competition.
Monaco finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season, a result that earned the club a spot in the qualifying playoffs for the UEFA Conference League, which kick off on August 20. The signing of Abline creates a potentially dynamic new attacking combination alongside American striker Folarin Balogun, who is gearing up for his fourth season with the Monaco first team.
Balogun, who has become one of the most high-profile American strikers in European soccer, earned global attention during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored three goals for the United States men’s national team. The U.S. campaign ended in the round of 16 with a controversial elimination at the hands of Belgium, a match that Balogun was cleared to play in only after FIFA reversed a planned red card ban, a move that followed public intervention from then-U.S. President Donald Trump. Off the pitch, Balogun has recently made changes to his representation, joining basketball superstar LeBron James as a client of the prominent Klutch Sports agency.