Eric Dier: "Joining AS Monaco was the best decision" | OneFootball

Arriving on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, the English defender was presented to the press alongside CEO Thiago Scuro, and the two other recruits Paul Pogba and Ansu Fati.

He came to bring his experience in the defensive third. Previously, he’s played for Tottenham and Bayern Munich, where he had been since January 2024, and now Eric Dier comes on a free transfer having played more than 400 matches in his career. Presented to the media this Thursday alongside General Manager Thiago Scuro, the English defender expressed his ambitions ahead of the start of summer training. 🎙️

The reasons for his choice

With my contract at Bayern Munich having ended, I was eager to experience a new challenge. Joining AS Monaco was the best decision for my family and me, both personally and sportingly. The initial discussions with Thiago Scuro and Carlos Aviña were very positive, and I was immediately convinced by the project they presented to me.

His profile as a defender

It’s always difficult to talk about yourself as a player, so I would have preferred someone else to do it! I’ll try to bring all my qualities to the team. What’s important to me is to help my teammates raise their game. On the pitch, I have to win as many duels as possible, and I communicate a lot with my teammates to bring calm and security.

The style of play implemented by Adi Hütter is in line with the way we played at Bayern last year, which was very aggressive. I think I’ve shown what I’m capable of, and I really like this way of playing. Now I have to prove it here on the pitch.

He spoke very well of himself; he's a very humble person. Eric will bring us a lot of solutions on the pitch, with or without the ball. He will help us progress in terms of experience; he's capable of building play, especially against low blocks. He has maturity, personality, and qualities that are important for us. And what's also worth noting is that he really wanted to come here, which is very important. We're therefore very happy that he's joining us to help us achieve our goals.

His view of the Club and Ligue 1

AS Monaco evokes a number of memories for me. I remember playing against the team during the 2016-2017 season when I was playing for Tottenham. That year, the Club managed to reach the semi-final stage of the competition. Obviously, I also have in mind the Champions League final played by the Monegasques in 2004. They had faced Porto and I was still living in Portugal at that time so I obviously heard about it.

I’ve watched a lot of Ligue 1 matches, especially when I first started talking to the team’s management. It’s a very competitive league, and the competition for Champions League qualification was fierce last season. Paris Saint-Germain’s European victory has helped strengthen the image of French football.

Moving to the Principality

The first discussions took place early on, which allowed me to quickly embark on this new adventure. I was fortunate to be able to settle in comfortably with my family. Now, I’m looking forward to exploring Monaco and its surroundings and adapting to this new environment.

I'm an experienced player, and I'm here to help the team improve. I'm joining an attractive squad that includes many very promising young players. The goal will be to combine these two aspects and do everything we can to ensure the team's success.

His personal ambitions

I’m an experienced player, and I’m here to help the team improve. I’m joining an attractive squad that includes many very promising young players. The goal will be to combine these two aspects and do everything we can to ensure the team’s success. Qualifying (for the Champions League) for the second time in a row is a very good thing; it should push us to constantly improve.

Obviously, I still want to play for England. I currently have 49 caps, and to be honest, (being stuck at that number) frustrates me! So I hope to reach 50. To do that, I’ll have to perform well at club level, which remains my primary goal.

On the arrival of Paul Pogba

It’s a great signing for the Club and Ligue 1 in general to have such a player who is preparing to play in the league. I had the opportunity to face Paul Pogba many times in the Premier League, I know the extent of his talent and I really look forward to playing alongside him.

His career path

Every player follows their own unique path. When I started playing professionally, I couldn’t have imagined this journey or anticipated the clubs I’d play for. Today, I feel extremely lucky to be an AS Monaco player.

After a long period in England, I had the opportunity to discover the German league, which gave me a different perspective on the sport. This new challenge in France is very exciting for me, both as a player and as a person, and I appreciate how lucky I am to be able to experience this.