Monaco Begin Talks With Two Of The Most Exciting Prospects In World Football

They may currently be entrenched in a race for the Ligue Un title with PSG and also have a Champions League semi-final with Juventus on the horizon, but Monaco are already looking ahead to next season.

The French league leaders have emerged as the most exciting team in Europe, this season, thanks to a selection of some of the continent's finest young players playing without fear and upsetting the natural order.

Whereas in the last few seasons PSG have routinely dominated the French title race, having their name on the trophy by early April, Leonardo Jardim's band of youngsters have blitzed their way to the top of the league, scoring at will, while also tearing up their opponents in the Champions League, eliminating Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund en route to the final four of the competition.

The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Fabinho, Benjamin Mendy and Thomas Lemar have all attracted interest from around Europe, this season and, in all likelihood, at least a couple of them will depart the principality, this Summer.

However, Jardim seems to already be prepared for that unfortunate inevitability and has already identified two of the players he wants to bring to the Stade Louis II stadium, next season.

And Monaco's board have wasted no time in looking to secure those deals for their manager.

According to several reports, the Ligue Un leaders have opened talks with Anderlecht for wonderkid midfielder Youri Tielemans.

The 19-year-old has impressed for the Belgian giants, this season, scoring a selection of screamers along the way, including this one.

It is believed Everton are also interested in the Belgium international, but it now appears Monaco are in the driving seat to secure his signature.

Joining Tielemans on Jardim's shopping list is Argentine striker Lucas Alorio, with Monaco sending scouts to watch the 24-year-old 'Albiceleste' international three times, recently.

A fee of 18m euros has been quoted for Alorio which, along with a reported 20m euro outlay for Tielemans, could represent an astute bit of business for the French club, given that they will likely receive huge amounts for any player they allow to leave, this Summer.

Topics: Football, AS Monaco

Joe Baiamonte

Northerner. Assistant Editor of SPORTbible. Studied Journalism and Broadcasting in a portakabin on a car park of Salford University for three years. Believes football peaked with Serie A in the '90s and strong-arms pro wrestling references into as many articles as possible. Neymar once took 50 euros off me during a game of poker.

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