Wout Faes' AS Monaco stint was intended to be a career-reviving crusade, but it is rapidly transforming into an acute nightmare. Quelle surprise! Reports suggest the Belgian's market value may freefall as a result of his struggles in imposing himself in France's Ligue 1. A division not as challenging as others in Europe. For Faes, this loan is no mere residency: it is a trial by combat, and he is currently losing the duel.
What's the score with Leicester City loanee Wout Faes?
​The terms of the agreement provided Monaco with a "buy option" estimated between €5million and €10m (wow). However, after a series of underwhelming displays including a harrowing performance in the Champions League, the Principality club could reportedly be wavering regarding a further agreement.
In the unforgiving arena of elite football, Faes lacks the combative edge required to secure his future. Unless he can unsheathe a more aggressive, commanding version of himself, the Rock (as the French side are known) appear unlikely to take up the permanent option this summer.
Oh dear
​The implications for Foxes are grim. Faes is contracted at King Power Stadium until June 2027. Meaning he still has a full year remaining on his deal upon (potential) return this July.
"Faes is with Monaco until the end of the season but there is a buy clause in his loan contract, and so if City want to sell, they need the Belgian to perform well during his few months in the principality."Leicester Mercury
If his reputation continues to diminish, the Foxes face the distinct possibility of being 'stuck' with an unwanted asset. With Leicester's league status precarious, the nightmare scenario sees an unmarketable Faes relegated to the fringes of the squad—potentially even in League One if LCFC fortunes don't shift.
​Faes must treat the final months of the season as a fight for survival. If he cannot prove himself a worthy warrior in that wonderful setting, he might perhaps come back to the East Midlands as a costly burden on a substitute's bench that has already moved on without him.