Saimon Bouabré, the 19-year-old French youth international, made a significant and somewhat unexpected career move this summer, joining the Saudi Pro League side Neom SC. This transfer, valued at €10 million, saw him leave his formative club, AS Monaco.
The primary catalyst for Bouabré`s departure was his profound dissatisfaction with the amount of playing time he was receiving at the Principality club. This discontent ultimately led to a standoff earlier in the summer. With only one year remaining on his contract, the young talent was reluctant to sign an extension, a clear indication of his struggle for minutes on the pitch.
Amidst this contractual dispute, AS Monaco adopted a firm stance, notably preventing Bouabré from participating in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship that summer. As this particular tournament fell outside the official FIFA international match calendar, clubs retained the prerogative to veto their players` involvement.
Despite this, Bouabré was permitted to compete in the Maurice-Revello tournament, which *did* align with the FIFA calendar dates. Monaco`s CEO, Thiago Scuro, offered insight into the club`s decision regarding the Euro U21 ban.
“He needs to show that he deserves anything from the club. The intention was for him to be here for pre-season,” Scuro explained during a press conference in early July.
Scuro further elaborated on the club`s perspective:
“Regarding Christian (Mawissa) and Soungoutou (Magassa), we have no doubts (both were permitted to play in the Euro U21 Championships). We need Bouabré to prove himself, to demonstrate he can play at the required level. He could have utilized his minutes better [last season]. I told him this. He didn`t play at the level we expected. First and foremost, it`s about the sporting requirements to be a Monaco player.”
Bouabré Speaks Out on Neom SC Move
Saimon Bouabré has now publicly addressed his transfer to Neom for the first time. Speaking with RMC Sport while on international duty with the French national team, he clarified his motivations.
“I was looking for game time at another club,” the former Monaco forward openly stated.
He added that the decisive factor was the assurance of playing time:
“It was Christophe Galtier (Neom manager) who guaranteed me the most minutes. My discussions with him were fluid and convincing. I didn`t get much playing time [at Monaco], and that`s what I was seeking. He said I would play, and that`s what I needed. Essentially, the league didn`t matter.”
