Moutinho targeting Champions League

Joao Moutinho has claimed Monaco’s main goal for the upcoming Ligue 1 season will be to qualify for the Champions League.

Monaco have signed nine players in the European transfer window including Moutinho, his FC Porto teammate James Rodriguez, ex-Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and Eric Abidal from Barcelona.

Owner Dmitry Rybolovlev is keen for the club to challenge reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in their first season back in the French top flight and while Moutinho wants to ‘fight for all the titles’, the 26-year-old central midfielder believes Champions League qualification is top priority.

“In this first year it will be very important for us to qualify for the Champions League, we are aware of it,” Moutinho said.

“It is a project that involves excellent players, we are building a great squad here in Monaco.

“It is a winning project, which is exactly what I was aiming for, to be part of a team and be able to fight for all the titles we are involved in.

“I hope to be able to help the team to win as many titles as possible this year and ensure to keep the positive results coming for this big club.”

Moutinho and Rodriguez were officially unveiled as Monaco players on Wednesday and the former claimed he was excited about ‘entering a new phase’ of his career.

The Portuguese international, who has represented his country 59 times, believes Ligue 1 will be an even competition next season, with a number of contenders for the league title.

“The league is growing one with a number of great players,” Moutinho said.

“This is the case in many clubs, such as PSG, Monaco and many other clubs like Lyon, Marseille, all have won the title recently.

“It is a very competitive league and we will do our best to fight for the title and win it.”