Liverpool’s message to Lamine Camara was not to force the issue this summer. Ben Jacobs said the club told Monaco and the midfielder to wait, with a return possible in 2027 if his route to Chelsea stayed blocked. That leaves the deadline-day noise behind and points to a longer game from Liverpool.

Liverpool's waiting game

Jacobs said Liverpool “don’t want Lamine Camara now” and “never explored it”, but also that they told Monaco and Camara to wait. He added that Liverpool could be back for him “potentially in 2027”. That is the key detail here. This was not framed as a late hijack of the Chelsea move, but as a club keeping a midfielder on the list for later.

The idea fits the way Liverpool have handled the wider market around him. Jacobs also said Alexis Mac Allister is still at the club, which helps explain why there was no rush to force a deal. Even so, Liverpool’s interest did not vanish, it just moved into a different lane.

Thiago Scuro’s comments point in the same direction. The Monaco sporting director said Camara had “very soon” ahead of him and could end up with “even better options than he did yesterday”.

Monaco's collapse and Camara's current level

The Chelsea move fell apart in ugly fashion. Fabrizio Romano reported that Chelsea had a written agreement for Camara and he was set for a medical at Stamford Bridge, before Monaco cancelled the deal. Romano also said Chelsea were furious. The same chain of events was affected by Folarin Balogun's proposed switch to Everton, which hit a snag after he failed a medical.

Monaco still have reasons to set the price and the pace. They are looking for about £60million to sell Camara, and their current stance is easier to understand when you look at the player itself. Camara has made 6 appearances in 2026, played 446 minutes, scored 0 goals and provided 1 assist. He is 22, so clubs are not buying finished output, they are buying the middle of the story.

The dispute over whether Monaco were ready to sell immediately or only once the Balogun situation changed is still there. What matters for Liverpool is simpler: they did not shut the door, and 2027 is still in play if the market opens again.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →