Ajax, Monaco, Lazio and the teams that were destroyed by the transfer market

Some football sides achieve far more than is ever expected of them, only to face a merciless market that strips the club of their prized assets.

Over performing sides seeing talented players leave is nothing new in football, and there have been countless cases of clubs who have conquered their respective leagues, or indeed Europe, only for their success to be short lived.

Johan Cruyff's Total Ajax

In 1973, after winning the European Cup, Cruyff set off from Amsterdam to Barcelona.

With their idol departing, Ajax's stars left and the project was in disarray.

Johan Neeskens and Arnold Muhren left in 1974, then followed Arie Haan and Horst Blankenburg and that iconic team was left in fans' memories.

Their best season: They won the Eredivisie in 1970, 1972 and 1973, the KNVB Cup in 1970, 1971 and 1972 and the European Cup in 1971,1972 and 1973, as well as an Intercontinental Cup in 1972.

Jose Mourinho's Porto

With Mourinho at the helm, Porto conquered Europe to everyone's surprise.

They beat Monaco in the 2004 Champions League final, but then Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira followed Mourinho to Chelsea, while Deco, Carlos Alberto, Pedro Mendes and others all left.

?Their best season: Champions League winners in 2004, UEFA Cup winners in 2003, Portuguese champions in 2003 and 2004, Taca de Portugal champions in 2003 and Intercontinental champions in 2004.

Kylian Mbappe's Monaco

This side were covered with gold and their project seemed destined for glory, but it was short-lived.

Big clubs came knocking in 2017 and their stars packed up and left.

Their best season: The won Ligue 1 in 2017 and reached the Champions League semi-finals, knocking out Manchester City on their way.

A star-studded Red Star Belgrade

Another team who were stripped by Europe's elite after success in 1991.

They won an unlikely Champions League on penalties against Marseille, which was won by a number of players whose exits were already confirmed.

Their best season: They won the Champions League in 1991 and the Intercontinental Cup. They won their domestic league in 1990, 1991 and 1992, as well as the Serbian Cup in 1991.

Marco van Basten's Ajax

With Cruyff on the bench in 1987, Ajax had built another strong side.

They won the Cup Winners' Cup, impressed, but then had players taken away from them.

Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard were two of the big names to leave.

Cruyff left for Barcelona in 1988.

Their best season: Cup Winners' Cup winners in 1987, KNVB Cup winners in 1986 and 1987.

The Borussia Dortmund that beat Zinedine Zidane

In 1997, Dortmund were the team to have their squad picked off after winning the Champions League against Juventus.

Key players left, notably Riedle and Paulo Sousa.

?They didn't enjoy much more success until Jurgen Klopp arrived.

Their best season: Champions League winners in 1997, Bundesliga champions in 1995 and 1996, Intercontinental Cup winners in 1997.

An impressive Palmeiras

Brazil have had their fair share of stars and Palmeiras left an impressing in the 1994 Bernabeu Trophy.

Months later, money started coming in for their players.

Rivaldo, Mazinho and Roberto Carlos are just three of the names who left that magnificent side.

Their best season: League champions in 1993 and 1994, winning the Paulista those same years.

Another strong Ajax

The Dutch side won their last Champions League in 1995 by beating AC Milan and their squad was incredible.

Edwin van der Sar, Rijkaard, Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids were just a handful of their stars, and they had depth on the bench too with Patrick Kluivert.

Their best season: They won the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1995. They won the Eredivisie in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

Champions League winning Marseille

In 1993 they won the Champions League against a strong Milan.

But their owner Bernard Tapie had judicial troubles and the squad couldn't be kept together.

Their best season: Champions League winners in 1993, Ligue 1 champions in 1991 and 1992.

Diego Simeone's Lazio

Simeone played in the Italian capital as part of an incredible team that won the Serie A and Coppa Italia double.

They had a solid foundation, but their team was destroyed by the Italian stock market despite having good players arrive afterwards.

Their best season: Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana winners in 2000. They won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1999 and the European Super Cup.