Wout Faes to leave AS Monaco as purchase option expires

Belgian centre‑back Wout Faes will depart AS Monaco after the club decided not to trigger his €17 million purchase option, meaning he returns to Leicester for the final year of his contract as the Foxes now compete in the third division.

The season began poorly for Faes after Leicester’s relegation to the Championship, which meant the club no longer counted on him. Consequently, national team coach Rudi Garcia stopped calling him up, even though Faes had started at centre‑back in the last international break against Wales.

The former KV Oostende defender sought a way out in the winter window and found it at AS Monaco. Sébastien Pocognoli, the club’s technical director, expressed confidence in Faes, giving him a fresh start.

Faes accumulated thirteen Ligue 1 starts for Monaco and did not miss a minute during the team’s seven‑match winning streak. His consistent minutes revived talk of a possible return to the Belgian Red Devils.

Despite the renewed debate about a World Cup‑bound comeback, Faes was not selected again for the national side. The omission left his summer plans uncertain.

Monaco possessed a purchase option on Faes’s contract. Nice‑Matin reports the club has decided not to activate that clause.

The option was set at €17 million, the same fee Leicester paid in 2022 to sign him from Stade de Reims. The financial terms did not favour an extended stay.

Faes therefore returns to Leicester for the final year of his contract. The Foxes have since been relegated to the third division, making his remaining season a challenging one.