AS Monaco have completed the signing of forward Matthis Abline from Nantes, with the move confirmed on 30 July 2026. The 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract at the Stade Louis II, keeping him at the club until June 2031. The fee is reported at €25m, rising to around €30m with add-ons — the biggest sale in Nantes' history.
Monaco moved for Abline as they reshape their forward options under head coach Sébastien Pocognoli, who took over in October 2025 after leading Royale Union Saint-Gilloise to their first Belgian league title in 90 years. Monaco are also braced for Folarin Balogun to leave this summer: the American forward wants a move, Juventus and several Premier League clubs have shown firm interest, and Monaco are reportedly holding out for close to €50m. Abline, who can lead the line or play off the left, gives Pocognoli cover and competition up front without simply trying to replace Balogun's profile like for like.
For Nantes, the fee is a record, but the context explains it. The club were relegated from Ligue 1 last season, dropping into Ligue 2 for the first time since 2012-13, and always knew they had little chance of keeping their best forward for a rebuilding job in the second tier. Owner Waldemar Kita held out for a fee well above Monaco's opening offer and a rival bid from Paris FC before agreeing to sell, having seen Abline finish as Nantes' top scorer with 11 goals the previous season.
Last season told a messier story. As Nantes collapsed towards relegation, Abline managed six goals and four assists in Ligue 1, in a little over 2,500 minutes — a marked drop from his breakout campaign, but one that came in a team that won few games and conceded freely. He has kept progressing at international level regardless: full France honours have not arrived yet, but he was part of the France Under-21 squad that reached the semi-finals of last summer's European Championship.
Abline's path to Ligue 1 came through Rennes' academy, followed by loan spells at Le Havre and Auxerre to get first-team minutes. He joined Nantes on loan in 2023, scored on his first start, and the move was made permanent the following summer. That development, plus his versatility across the front line, is part of the appeal for Monaco, who compete in the Champions League and need attacking depth for a long, congested season.
How quickly he adjusts is the open question. Abline's numbers at Nantes last season were built in a struggling side that shipped goals and created little, so they understate what he can do. A move into a stronger team, with better service and far less defensive strain, gives him a real chance to get back to the kind of returns that made him Nantes' top scorer two seasons ago.