Monaco have rejected a €50m offer from Crystal Palace for Lamine Camara, and the price is already moving up. The Ligue 1 club are demanding at least €60m, while another report says they want €65m. Camara is tied to Monaco until 2029, which gives the French club room to wait while Liverpool and Manchester United watch the next move.

Monaco's leverage on the deal

The stance from Monaco is clear enough. Filipe Luis told goal.com: "We discuss the squad every day, the transfer market, what is happening and the offers that arrive. We want to build a really competitive team. I am very selfish and I want to keep all the players. I do not want anyone to leave."

He was even more direct on Camara: "I hope we can keep him. He is probably one of the best midfielders in the world. He is really important to me. He is very gifted with the ball at his feet, he covers a lot of ground. He is an exceptional player. I am really satisfied with him."

That contract until 2029 matters because it removes any rush. Monaco have also already raised €105m through player sales this summer, so they are not behaving like a club forced into a quick deal. Palace may have set the opening price point, but Monaco are treating this as a sale they can control rather than one they need to complete.

Why Premier League clubs are still watching

Camara's appeal is easy to see. He made 4 World Cup appearances for Senegal and played 261 minutes, starting all four matches. He also posted an 8.3 rating against Liverpool in Monaco's pre-season friendly, which at least gives Premier League clubs a recent live look at him in a bigger game.

The interest from Palace fits their wider market activity, with the club preparing for their first Europa League campaign. Liverpool and Manchester United are also in the picture, which is why Monaco's pricing has become the main story rather than any one club's opening bid.

For now, Palace have the first rejected offer on the table and Monaco have the stronger hand. The next step is whether a second bid gets closer to €60m or €65m, and whether that is enough to change Monaco's stance before the market settles.

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