Filipe Luís and Monaco maintain interest in signing midfielder Erik Lira

AS Monaco manager Filipe Luís expressed a desire to sign Erik Lira during upcoming transfer windows. The club unsuccessfully pursued the Mexico international this past summer, with the potential move failing due to squad constraints. Monaco required a non-EU spot to open, which was contingent upon Folarin Balogun transferring to Everton. That move did not materialize, blocking the acquisition of Lira. CEO Thiago Scuro confirmed the club reached an agreement with Cruz Azul, but the inability to clear the roster spot prevented the deal from proceeding. While the club cannot explicitly ask Cruz Azul to hold the player, both Scuro and Luís remain interested in the midfielder for future windows.

• 10:00 AMYahoo Sports — Filipe Luís confirms Monaco’s continued Erik Lira pursuit