When it was already done with AS Monaco, the entire Dutch top three called me.
1 min readNathan van Kooperen, working at the real estate agency Muy Manero, looks back with great satisfaction on the transfer of Safouane Benzahra to AS Monaco. The talented attacker made the move in 2025 from NAC Breda to the French top club, while several Dutch top clubs ultimately missed out.
Van Kooperen tells in conversation with Quote how the transfer came about. "That guy didn’t yet have a contract at NAC Breda, so I put him in touch with AS Monaco. That’s a great club where they take good care of their youth players, including a boarding school", he says. "The family was completely behind this step, because they knew the club would take good care of their son."
According to the agent, interest from the Netherlands only picked up once the transition to Monaco had already been finalized. "When it was all wrapped up with Monaco last summer, the entire Dutch top three called me. They had been asleep and then, when they heard that Benzahra was going to Monaco, they suddenly wanted him. They were nicely too late", he ends, laughing.
Benzahra, now seventeen, lies in the Principality until the summer of 2028. Last season, the winger came out for several Morocco youth squads and continued his development within AS Monaco’s youth academy.
Comments5
Im sorry but "the whole Dutch top three called me" sounds like pure timing excuses. We had the scouts, so either PSV didnt push hard enough or NAC never gave the window.
Boarding school in Monaco is actually a crazy advantage for a 17-year-old, everything controlled and close. But i still hate the "nicely too late" vibe, because PSV shouldnt lose these races to French clubs.
"That kid didn't have a contract yet" is such a big detail. If PSV had been on it earlier, this wouldnt even be a drama now. Monaco just moves with more intent.
lol the Dutch top three sleeping and then calling once Monaco already sealed it... that's peak PSV business style😂. If Benzahra was that close to done last summer, we shouldnt act surprised now.
Lol "the whole Dutch top three called me"... sounds like PSV and the rest woke up too late. Benzahra to Monaco is exactly the kind of move that hurts when you are slow with your scouting.