Stanis Idumbo: "I was impressed by the club's project" | OneFootball

Having arrived in the Principality on August 30th to sign a five-year contract with AS Monaco, the Belgian attacking midfielder was officially presented to the media this Thursday, in the presence of Adi Hütter and CEO Thiago Scuro.

He’s the final Monégasque recruit of the summer. He arrived at the foot of the Rock on the eve of the September international break, and Stanis Idumbo then took his first steps in training with the club. The young Belgian international was soon thereafter presented to the press this Thursday to share his initial impressions. 🎙️

The choice of AS Monaco

AS Monaco is a great club with high ambitions, regularly participating in the Champions League. It’s a fantastic opportunity for a player like me who wants to develop their skills. I’m convinced I can progress here.

Everything happened quite quickly in the final days of the transfer window. The discussions I had with the club’s management convinced me very quickly, and I immediately felt their confidence in me. In fact, the reason I’m here is because I was truly impressed by the club’s vision, and I feel I made the best possible choice.

I think the player who stood out most in recent years at AS Monaco was Kylian Mbappé. I've obviously followed his career; he's dazzled us all, and I have a great deal of respect for him. I had the opportunity to play against him with Sevilla in La Liga, and I can only admire his journey.

His integration

I’m feeling better and better; I’ve gradually started training with the squad and everything is going very well. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet all my teammates, owing to the international break. Most of the staff members speak French, which has made my integration much easier. We’ll see what the future holds, but the important thing is to take things step by step and stay on the right path.

His position on the pitch

The coach makes the decisions, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ll always give my all, no matter what position I play or what the situation is. Above all, I hope to bring enjoyment to the fans (smile)! I would describe myself as a fast player who uses my speed to create opportunities and make a difference.

As Thiago said, this is the type of player we were looking for, because he has different qualities from our current attacking midfielders. He's good in one-on-one situations and very fast. He arrived with a minor injury, which has now healed, allowing him to start training. He's only 20 years old, but he's quite experienced for his age, and I think he's a perfect fit for our style of play.

His personal goals

Like any forward, I want to score goals and make a difference on the pitch (laughs)! That’s primarily where I can improve, along with working harder for the team by contributing more defensively.

His models at AS Monaco

I think the player who stood out most in recent years at AS Monaco was Kylian Mbappé. I’ve obviously followed his career; he’s dazzled us all, and I have a great deal of respect for him. I had the opportunity to play against him with Sevilla in La Liga, and I can only admire his journey.

His own story

My parents come from  the DR Congo and they settled in France for a short period during which I was born. I then grew up mainly in Belgium before moving to the Netherlands at the age of 16 after signing with Ajax Amsterdam.

These experiences led me to discover new ways of thinking and different perspectives on life. I had to adapt to new environments during my time in Belgium, the Netherlands, and more recently, Spain. I was fortunate to experience diverse cultures, and this has helped shape the person I am today.

His Belgian compatriots

I know Eliot Matazo because he played with my older brother in the Belgian national youth teams, so I had the opportunity to see him play several times. I don’t know him personally, and I didn’t really talk to him before coming here, but I know that he also came to Monaco at a very young age and grew up there.

What he knows of Ligue 1

Ligue 1 is known for being a fast, physical, and technically demanding league. I haven’t played in it yet, but I watched many matches when I was younger. It’s a league with a lot of talent and competition, and I’m looking forward to making my debut in Rouge et Blanc.

The words of Thiago Scuro and Adi Hütter

(Thiago Scuro) I was impressed by our conversations, during which I really appreciated his mindset and character. Despite his young age, Stanis is very mature, and his experiences have made him mentally strong. As a player, he has speed, a strong competitive spirit, and he will bring something new to the team. We are very happy to have him with us.

(Adi Hütter) As Thiago said, this is the type of player we were looking for, because he has different qualities from our current attacking midfielders. He’s good in one-on-one situations and very fast. He arrived with a minor injury, which has now healed, allowing him to start training. He’s only 20 years old, but he’s quite experienced for his age, and I think he fits perfectly with our style of play.