Liverpool have reportedly made fresh contact with the representatives of Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, asking to be kept informed of the Senegal international's situation as they weigh up a future move for the 22-year-old.
The renewed interest, reported on Friday, puts Liverpool in front in the race for a player who came within hours of joining Chelsea in the summer. Camara was set to move to Stamford Bridge for £47m on deadline day, only for Monaco to pull out of the deal at the 11th hour.
The deal that collapsed at Chelsea
Monaco changed their stance late on deadline day when Folarin Balogun appeared close to a move to Everton. By the time Balogun's switch fell through, it was too late for Chelsea to revive the Camara transfer, and the midfielder stayed in the Principality.
Chelsea have not given up on strengthening in midfield, but their focus has shifted. The Blues are now said to be prioritising Bournemouth star Alex Scott — the subject of BTFW's earlier report on Chelsea's verbal agreement over Scott and Liverpool's interest in Camara — over a renewed pursuit of Camara. That change of direction, according to Sports Mole, has boosted Liverpool's hopes.
Why January will be difficult
Liverpool may still have to be patient. Camara is under contract at Monaco until 2029 and has featured in all 12 of the club's competitive games this season, scoring twice in the league run that included a goal in Monaco's 3-0 Conference League win over Freiburg. There is a belief, reported by SunSport, that Liverpool, Monaco and the player himself would all need to make compromises for a January transfer to happen.
Keeping Camara beyond January could be crucial for Monaco, who are chasing Champions League qualification in Ligue 1 and looking to go far in the Conference League. A summer move is therefore presented in the reports as the more realistic outcome, even as talks continue behind the scenes.
Camara's response to the summer disappointment has drawn praise in France. Monaco head coach Filipe Luis told L'Equipe, in comments carried by SunSport, that Camara "can run a marathon, play for ninety minutes without ever letting up, whilst playing football" and "embodies the future of the game."
So what does this mean?
For Liverpool, this is succession planning, not panic buying. Andoni Iraola's side face Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday in the Premier League's biggest game of the weekend, and their midfield is performing now — but contacting Camara's camp early is how a club avoids being outbid when a long-term target finally becomes available. With Chelsea looking at Scott, Liverpool have a clearer run than they had in August.
For Camara, the choice matters too. He is a guaranteed starter at Monaco at 22; a move to Anfield would mean fighting established internationals for minutes. Staying until the summer, playing every week and arriving as a headline signing rather than a January gamble may suit all three parties.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Liverpool are playing this exactly right. Camara is the kind of all-action, press-resistant midfielder who fits Iraola's football, and the collapsed Chelsea deal has handed Liverpool time they did not expect to have. The verdict here is simple — do not force January. Keep the contact warm, let Chelsea chase Scott, and make Camara the first big move of the summer. Is Camara the right long-term signing for Liverpool, or should the Reds spend the money elsewhere? Let us know in the comments.
