Monaco Set €70m Price for Liverpool and Chelsea Target Lamine Camara

Liverpool and Chelsea have been told to pay €70m for Lamine Camara, with Monaco now valuing the 22-year-old midfielder at around £60m and wanting to keep him until the summer at least. Chelsea had a second bid worth £47m accepted before the French club changed course, according to TEAMTALK.

  • Player: Lamine Camara, 22-year-old midfielder, Premier League-calibre
  • Price: €70m, roughly £60m — Monaco's new valuation
  • Failed bid: Chelsea had a £47m second offer accepted before Monaco changed their stance
  • Liverpool shortlist: Lamine Camara, Manu Kone, Alex Scott and Aleksandar Stankovic
  • Context: Curtis Jones departed for Inter Milan, leaving Liverpool short in midfield
  • Timescale: A Camara move is being framed around 2027, not a January deal

Deal details

Monaco reportedly value Camara at €70m and want to keep him for now. Chelsea had a second bid worth £47m accepted before Monaco altered their position, believing there is more value in waiting. The fee has not been agreed with Liverpool, and no formal Liverpool bid is reported. The interest is described as early groundwork rather than a deal on the brink.

Liverpool have not made an offer for Manu Kone either, though interest in the Roma midfielder has been referenced more than once. Alex Scott is described as a smart link rather than a live bid. Aleksandar Stankovic is treated as speculative, with earlier talks tied to the Jones discussions having moved on.

What was said

"Liverpool were making calls to the camp of Camara, making it clear that if he stayed [and didn’t join Chelsea], he would be a player relatively high in their thinking for 2027."

— Ben Jacobs, speaking on The RedmenTV

"He’s not the only one. You’ve got Manu Kone, who Chelsea had looked at as well. And Alex Scott, I think he will be on Liverpool’s radar too."

— Ben Jacobs, on Liverpool's shortlist

"Liverpool would have had to look at options, even though they were only going to sign a midfielder, despite Curtis Jones leaving, if a further departure occurred. Camara was one option. I think there’s interest in Kone of Roma, and they’ll have other options as well."

— David Ornstein

Jacobs' remarks point to diplomacy as much as recruitment. Contact with Camara's camp, framed around 2027, suggests Liverpool are positioning rather than pushing for a January deal. That fits a club that sold a midfielder and now needs to plan without appearing desperate.

Ornstein's line is the more instructive one. He describes a conditioned approach — Liverpool would only have needed another midfielder if a further departure occurred — which explains why the shortlist is fluid and why no single move has accelerated. Two credible journalists pointing at the same names gives the scouting chain substance without confirming a bid.

Liverpool Midfield Shortlist: Camara, Kone, Scott and Stankovic

Camara, 22, is the glamour option. Liverpool's interest is real, but Monaco's €70m valuation and their willingness to wait make a January deal unlikely unless the player pushes and the Ligue 1 side soften. Chelsea's £47m acceptance collapsing is the clearest signal that Monaco now believe patience pays.

Manu Kone of Roma may be the cleaner football fit for Andoni Iraola's demands. He brings power, carries the ball well and copes in transition — qualities that suit a system built on intensity, recovery runs, pressing discipline and ground coverage without losing structure.

Alex Scott is technically secure, energetic, homegrown and has room to grow, making him attractive for broader squad building. Whether he delivers the immediate steel required is another question. Stankovic sits lowest, with the earlier Inter conversations tied into the Jones discussions and now seemingly parked.

Analysis: Why Kone May Fit Iraola Better Than Camara

Andoni Iraola wants repeat intensity, second balls and quick regains. That profile points towards Manu Kone more than Lamine Camara, because Kone's physicality and ball-carrying translate directly into transition moments. Camara's ceiling may be higher, but £60m in January is serious money for a player Monaco have no reason to sell now.

The complication is Alexis Mac Allister. The report references frustration over his contract situation, and while that does not mean a transfer is imminent, it does mean Liverpool cannot afford drift. Liverpool may not have intended to revisit the market after Curtis Jones left for Inter Milan unless another midfielder departed, but plans change when the squad looks light for the schedule.

Trey Nyoni's pathway is exciting, but relying on potential across a long season is a risk. The sensible reading is that Liverpool are active, informed and unconvinced by standing still — but the price tags and Monaco's stance mean the January window is more likely to produce Kone or a squad-building move than a £60m Camara deal.

Talking points

  • Should Liverpool pay £60m for Camara in January when Monaco are happy to wait until the summer?
  • Is Kone the more practical signing for Iraola's pressing game if the aim is immediate impact?
  • Does Mac Allister's contract frustration force Liverpool into a midfield move they had not planned?
  • Would Alex Scott's homegrown profile make him better value than the more fashionable Camara?

What happens next

Liverpool will continue surveying the market with four names in the frame, while Monaco hold firm on their €70m valuation of Camara. Chelsea's accepted £47m bid has already collapsed, so the next significant move depends on whether the player pushes for a departure or Liverpool decide Kone is the cleaner January solution.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Liverpool and Chelsea have to pay for Lamine Camara?

Monaco value Camara at €70m, which converts to around £60m, and they want to keep him for the time being according to TEAMTALK.

Did Chelsea have a bid accepted for Lamine Camara?

Yes. Chelsea had a second bid worth £47m accepted before Monaco changed course and decided there was more value in waiting.

Who else is on Liverpool's midfield shortlist?

Alongside Lamine Camara, Liverpool are tracking Manu Kone of Roma, Alex Scott and Aleksandar Stankovic, according to TEAMTALK.

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