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Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo not realistic transfer targets for Monaco, says general director

Monaco general director Filips Dhondt has admitted that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldoare not realistic transfer targets for the ambitious French side at this point and has stressed that the Ligue 2 champions will not buy an entire new team this summer.

The Stade Louis II side have already secured the services of Ricardo Carvalho, Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez so far, while they are expected to announce the capture of Radamel Falcao shortly, and Dhondt has made it clear that their spending spree is nearing its end.
"Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not very realistic options. I don't think they are for sale," he told Het Nieuwsblad.
"Monaco are a strong brand, though, just like Paris [Saint-Germain]. The [tax-free] region is a plus for us and players will take that into consideration when making a decision.
"We will not be signing an entire team as we already have a strong core. We might sign four, five, or perhaps six players, but only players we really need. We could some reinforcements in defence. Don't believe everything you read in L'Equipe, though."
The Monaco director then went on to discuss his side's ambitions and made it clear that owner Dmitry Rybolovlev understands that it will take time before they can challenge for the Champions League title.
"We are full of ambition. We want to be a major player in Ligue 1 and make it into Europe right away.
"The owner realises that winning the Champions League will take time. We want to surprise the world, but we all know that this is a long-term project."
Monaco return to Ligue 1 next season after spending two years in the French second tier.