Belgian Wout Faes joins AS Monaco until the end of the season

AS Monaco officially announced the arrival of Wout Faes on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Belgian international centre-back will bolster a Monaco backline decimated by injury for the second half of the season.

On loan from Leicester City until June with an option to buy, he makes his return to Ligue 1 after a first notable spell at Stade de Reims.

A long-awaited return to Ligue 1

A Red Devil with 28 caps, Faes is already familiar with the French league, having played there between 2020 and 2022 for Reims. “I always say, those were perhaps the years I enjoyed the most in my career so far,” says the defender, who promises to bring plenty of experience to a young squad.

Since the summer of 2022, the Mol native had been playing in England with Leicester, where he experienced the Premier League (65 matches, 2 goals) and the Championship (English second division). Despite limited minutes in recent months, Faes insists he has been working hard to be ready. “In terms of the physical tests, everything was good,” he reassured.

An obvious choice

Contacts between Monaco and the player date back several transfer windows. “My agent has always been in contact with AS Monaco during the last three windows,” the defender revealed. “Once AS Monaco came calling, the decision was made immediately,” the player stated, adding that he could be in the squad as early as this weekend for the home game vs Lorient.

For Sébastien Pocognoli, his signing is a response to the injury crisis. The coach emphasised that he’s a player he has followed for a long time and admires his strong personality.

“He’s a player AS Monaco has been tracking for a long time, and he’s well-known in scouting reports. Given his situation at Leicester, I think we’ll have a player who’s motivated to help the team and what we’re trying to implement and who’s especially eager to play again and get back to where he belongs. He can play in different systems, as he’s done with Belgium in recent years. We know a lot of people in common. He’s a guy with a great personality and was considered a leader in the Leicester dressing room. I also know many players who played with him for the national team. They’ve confirmed his qualities in terms of personality and the impact he can have on the ball. Again, this will also allow us to mentor the younger players,” insisted the 38-year-old coach.

Thiago Scuro, the general manager, then highlighted his “experience, maturity and ability to have an immediate impact”.

Selection objective

A starter at Euro 2024, Faes is clearly aiming for a return to the Belgian national team before the 2026 World Cup. “It’s an extra motivation,” he admitted, while remaining focused on Monaco. The number 25 for the Red and Whites wants to bring “his positive energy” and defensive stability to a team whose last clean sheet in the league dates back to the end of October in a 1-0 victory against Toulouse.