With Thierry Henry’s debut at the helm of Monaco on the horizon, there is just enough time to look back at the many achievements of the club’s former boss Leonardo Jardim. It is with a heavy heart that we say farewell to the Portuguese head coach who will likely be pitching up somewhere else in the near future but here are his five greatest achievements with the Principality side.

1 | The Ligue 1 title win

Could there be any greater achievement? Many thought that nobody would ever break the iron grip that money-bags Paris Saint-Germain had on the L’Hexagoal trophy but in the magical 2016-17 season, AS Monaco did just that.

A combination of experience, youth and expert coaching, the team marched on to a staggering 95-point total where they failed to lose a single game after December 21st. In fact, even more impressively, they won 12 straight games with PSG breathing down their neck to close out the season, whilst still being involved in three other competitions.

To motivate a side to beat a superstar team, maintaining a very high level of performance throughout a gruelling nine-month stretch while playing entertaining football should not be underestimated. Jardim crafted this squad to perfection, found the formation that suited them all and did what many thought would be almost impossible.

2 | The best attack in Europe

You might not think it, but many saw Jardim as a defensive coach in his first few years at Monaco. As he settled in, the team were known to be stubborn under his stewardship, while growing slowly on the offensive side of the game.

That image went right out of the window in that title-winning season, where they netted 159 goals in all competitions. Across the 63 games played, that is an average of just over 2.5 goals per game, which is an outstanding achievement for any team in any league, not just one that beat the totals of the likes of PSG, Lyon, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.

They were Europe’s real entertainers in that season and it’s easy to see why. Jardim allowed his creative players to express themselves, encouraging them to create in the final third and the rewards were there for anyone willing to get a ticket.

3 | Champions’ League competitors

The great myth of France being a farmer’s league was almost entirely sniffed out during the 44-year-old’s reign at the Stade Louis II as he made his side competitive in Europe’s grandest competition.

Back in the 2014-15 campaign, they knocked out Arsenal in the Round of 16 with a blistering counter-attacking performance at the Emirates, with even Dimitar Berbatov getting involved in the goals. Added to that, they only lost 1-0 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Juventus and even had the chances in the second leg of that tie to cause an upset.

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Two years later, they cruised out of a sticky group which included Tottenham Hotspur, Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow before defeating Manchester City in one of the best two-legged ties in Champions League history and knocking off Borussia Dortmund before they hit s brick wall in The Old Lady yet again.

A Ligue 1 side other than PSG were finally credible in the Champions’ League for the first time in just under 10 years and that really established that Jardim’s good work with Monaco translated on a continental scale, rather than just a domestic one.

4 | Recycling a team

Can you think of another manager who had almost the entire spine of his squad sold, only to come back two years later to win the league?

In the summer of 2015, Monaco lost Layvin Kurzawa, Anthony Martial, Aymen Abdennour, Yannick Carrasco and Geoffrey Kondogbia, all high-quality, integral players to the team at that time. It allowed him to blood in some youngsters, they added a few players and managed to become even greater than they had before.

Even after the summer of 2017, where they lost Kylian Mbappé, Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva and Tiemoué Bakayoko, they still managed to finish second in the league. Not many have had so much taken from their core group and recovered so gracefully, but Jardim was a master at getting on with business, trusting his players and succeeding again.

5 | Nurturing young players

This will likely be the achievement that Jardim himself is most proud of – the fact he allowed so many young footballers to grow under his guidance.

We all know the big names like Mbappé, Thomas Lemar, Fabinho and Bernardo Silva – player’s that he plucked from obscurity and turned into some of the world’s best. Yet he also helped guide those on the fringes. Look at a player like Rony Lopes, who came on strides last season having been unimpressive out on loan – back under the tutelage of Jardim, he has turned into Monaco’s  most important player.

Eight players either 21 or under have turned out for Monaco this season, how many other coaches would be brave enough to put that much trust in so many young players at the top of the footballing pyramid, with a smattering of older heads sitting on the bench?

The honest answer is not many and his legacy has not just affected Monaco’s long-term future in the most positive way possible, but plenty of the second-tier sides in Europe desperate to emulate it.

N.S.

Speaking at a Groupe OL meeting yesterday afternoon, Lyon President Aulas offered an update on captain Nabil Fékir’s contract situation, with his current deal expiring in 2020.

“For the moment, we have not really had a real discussion, even if we met 3 weeks ago. The sorting out of various things concerning who the agent is, is ongoing. The aim, is to have a clear and precise position from his point of view between now and the end of the year… Jean-Pierre Bernès is still his agent but he cannot be so at the end of the player’s contract.”

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Speaking in an interview with Canal Football Club, Lyon midfielder Tanguy N’Dombélé discussed the €50m bid that Manchester City made for him this summer and talked about a potential move to PSG.

“I could have gone, maybe things would have worked out well. The club was firm, they didn’t want me to leave. I didn’t feel like leaving, and I think that today you can see that it was the best decision for me. Things are going well, I am playing a lot of games, and I am in the French national team. So, I think for the moment it was the best decision.”

“I don’t imagine how my career will go, I live it instead… When I was young I didn’t dream of being in this or that club (like PSG), whether it is Real Madrid, Barcelona, City, I have never dreamed of being in a specific club like that. Of course they are big clubs, I don’t close the door to anyone… They (PSG) remain one of the biggest clubs in France, I am from a Paris banlieue…”

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Ligue 1 side AS Monaco have made an initial approach for Nantes’ Brazilian defender Diego Carlos, according to L’Équipe.

The extent to which the conversations have occurred at this stage is unknown, but Les Canaris have not closed the door to a possible departure, and would be demanding a fee of €20m.

Portuguese daily A Bola are citing interest from Marseille also, but it seems unlikely that OM would be able to pay the price as quoted.

In the meantime, Nantes are working on a potential signing at right-back and have been discussions for Vitoria Guimaraes defender Falaye Sacko (23). An issue with a deal for the Malian is that the player has a very elevated release clause.

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21-year-old Dutch international central midfielder Frenkie de Jong has chosen to join PSG, according to former Dutch international and Ajax man Johnny Rep, speaking to Le Parisien.

The daily newspaper reports that PSG remain in pole position to close a deal for a man wanted by Manchester City and Barcelona, in an overall package that will cost Les Parisiens between €70m and €80m.

Rep had the following to say on the player:

“He is an excellent player. I see a bit of Andres Iniesta in him. He is very intelligent in terms of constructing play. He has a lot of capabilities. He can play close to the defence or near his attackers and has excellent technique. I think that PSG are his first choice.”

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France Football report that Real Betis striker Antonio Sanabria has been offered to struggling Marseille.

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The 22-year-old Paraguayan international attacker, who had been previously considered as Mario Balotelli’s replacement at OGC Nice, has recently been offered up to Marseille Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta.

Sanabria scored 8 goals in 17 appearances last season, but is not being used much at all by Betis in 2018/19 – a loan deal with an option to buy could be a possibility.

Premier League side Newcastle United and specifically their club’s manager Rafael Benitez want to sign 21-year-old Lyon attacker Martin Terrier this window, according to L’Équipe.

The 17th-placed Premier League side have made a formal approach to Lyon for the former Strasbourg & Lille man, but OL do not want to sell. The idea of a loan for 6 months has been put to Lyon representatives, who for the moment do not seem interested in letting their attacker leave despite the raft of options in that sector.

At least for now…

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Nathan Staples, Jeremy Smith, Jonathan Johnson and Lee Davey look to dissect Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League exit, Rennes’ big win in the Europa League and look ahead to the Ligue 1 weekend.

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RMC report that a number of established players in the Marseille squad’s futures are on the line after a disappointing campaign to date.

1 | Steve Mandanda

The French international goalkeeper has had a difficult season, despite currently being on a 4-game unbeaten streak. “Il Fenomeno” is someone that OM Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta is seeking to place in the summer window, with an approach made for Montpellier shot-stopper Benjamin Lecomte. Mandanda has told people close to him that he is not scared of another goalkeeper coming in to take their place.

2 | Rolando

The Portuguese international central defender has been sitting on the substitutes bench for the last four matches and didn’t play until the end of November because of an Achilles injury. He was a hero in the Europa League semi-final in 2018 vs. RB Salzburg, but his contract expires at the end of the season.

Sources inside OM view his spirit to be “irreproachable” – but no discussions have been had about an extension. His departure is almost certain.

3 | Adil Rami

Adil Rami’s situation is different, but it is also possible that the destiny of the world champion is far away from Marseille next season. Manager Rudi Garcia once held blind confidence in Rami, but the central defender has lost his place in the starting XI.

The former Sevilla man is working hard to come back to the required level, but the emergence of the dynamic and young central defensive pairing of Kamara & Caleta-Car is blocking his path. Sources close to the player have said that Rami is “determined to win back his starting XI place and to help Marseille at the end of the season.”

After the World Cup, an American side approached Rami. But he is especially attached to Marseille and his aim is to qualify them for the Champions’ League – as a result, at the beginning of this season, he didn’t feel that this was the right time to leave. But the idea of a move to the States was attractive to Rami, especially for reasons concerning his private life.

The question will be asked again in June, especially if Marseille do not qualify for the Champions’ League. If OM were able to be part of Europe’s elite competition next season, that would be the sort of challenge that would convince Rami to stay put for another year in Marseille, a club and a place that is close to his heart.

4 | Luiz Gustavo

The Brazilian remains dear to fans and members of the Marseille board alike, but the quality of his performances have recently dropped off. This cannot be blamed entirely on Gustavo, who has incessantly been moved from centre back to central midfielder by Garcia who has used the former Wolfsburg man as a plug for the gaps in his starting XI.

Gustavo, who has been annoyed about the lack of commitment shown by some of his fellow team-mates in recent months, is going through a bit of a down period psychologically at the moment. However, OM are still counting on him, despite his recent time spent on the substitute bench.

5 | Dimitri Payet

If Marseille do not qualify for the Champions’ League this season, for budgetary reasons, they may seek to rid of Dimitri Payet, who has been the subject of incessant interest from China.

The Marseille captain has received less playing time since Garcia switched to a 4-4-2, but feel good in Marseille and remains convinced that he will recover his place in the starting XI. The way in which Payet has been dealt with by Garcia speaks to a wider policy from the French coach in recent weeks to show that nobody in his squad is irreplaceable:

“I hope that he is vexed and frustrated to be on the bench like Rolando, Adil and Luiz .. I hope that they want to show me that I am wrong and that their rightful place should be on the pitch from the beginning of the match.”

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PSG manager Thomas Tuchel’s new contract, which runs until 2021, which he signed in March but has not been officially announced yet, will see him earn €7.5m a year, according to L’Équipe.

The German does not expect to be fired, despite Coupe de France, Champions’ League and Coupe de la Ligue embarrassment and as such has rejected two approaches from clubs recently, with Pini Zahavi now in charge of his interests.

L’Équipe do not know the identity of the two clubs, but well-placed journalist Romain Molina reports that one is Bayern Munich, whilst Euro United claim that the other is Chelsea.

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