Monaco's friendly win fuels urgent hunt for Akliouche successor

Sous les projecteurs du Stade Louis II on Thursday, AS Monaco secured a 1‑0 friendly victory over Getafe, a Victoire that lifted the morale of the summer training camp and underscored the club’s urgent need to replace departing midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, according to coach Filipe Luis.

La Victoire précoce set a constructive tone for the weeks ahead, with the early win signalling a positive direction for the squad’s preparation.

The sole goal arrived in the first half, giving Monaco the advantage and allowing the team to maintain the lead while Getafe pressed relentlessly but failed to equalise, highlighting the hosts’ defensive resilience.

Filipe Luis praised the performance, stating it provided a solid framework for the next training period and created a positive environment on which the players could rely.

"We want to replace him," Luis said after the match, describing Akliouche’s departure as a "big loss" and using the victory to illustrate the profile the club now must fill, emphasizing the urgency of the recruitment task.

Later that evening, French international Maghnes Akliouche completed a €50 million transfer to Paris Saint‑Germain, ending a four‑year spell at Monaco; Luis called him a "high‑level player who will become a world‑class player" and lamented never having trained him directly.

Luis also warned that striker Folarin Balogun could leave in the coming days, calling him a "special player" and saying he would be "really, really happy" if the forward remained at the club, hinting at further squad changes.

Monaco will continue its preparation on Sunday with a friendly against Liverpool, offering extra training and a test against Premier League opposition, while the club still awaits the Europa Conference League preliminary‑round draw on 20 and 27 August and prepares for its Ligue 1 campaign, which kicks off on 23 August against Le Havre.