The road to the AS Monaco training center isn’t an easy, linear drive from the coast. You’re reeled in to higher ground on winding roads with tight turns. They keep your speed in check before you reach the beautiful facility, tucked into a mountain in the French commune of La Turbie, boasting a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean.
The club officially unveiled this facility in September 2022. A year later, they bought striker Folarin Balogun from Arsenal for €40m ($44m). That fee, including add-ons, is tied for the third-highest in club history and Monaco’s biggest since the pandemic by far. It carried the expectation that Balogun – who bagged 22 goals in 39 games in the previous season on loan at Reims – would resume his rise in Ligue 1 and elevate his new team in the Champions League. After a modest eight goals and seven assists in 32 games in his first season for Monaco, the pressure mounted.
