A proposed £47 million transfer taking Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara to Chelsea collapsed on transfer deadline day following a late U-turn by the Ligue 1 club, which was triggered by Everton's late move for Folarin Balogun. Although social media rumours suggested Liverpool had actively intervened to sabotage the deal and keep the 22-year-old within their reach, journalist David Ornstein has dismissed claims of Merseyside interference, describing them as speculation.
Why the £47m Chelsea deal collapsed
According to reports from BBC Sport, Chelsea had agreed a £47m fee for Camara, and the Senegalese midfielder had undergone a medical before Monaco pulled out of the agreement. Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro revealed the decision was entirely dependent on a separate transfer involving striker Folarin Balogun and Everton. Monaco only made Camara available after Balogun's proposed move to Goodison Park hit medical complications. Once Everton decided to proceed with Balogun's signing, Monaco immediately withdrew Camara from the market. Speaking to BBC Sport, Scuro said: "As soon as we received that information [from Everton], we came back to Chelsea and said there was no deal. Because that's also fair. It's part of the game."
Ornstein refutes Liverpool conspiracy theories
The sudden collapse of the transfer prompted online speculation that Liverpool officials had contacted Camara on deadline day to urge him to wait for an Anfield move in 2027. However, speaking in a transfer Q&A, David Ornstein firmly rejected the conspiracy theory. "I have no knowledge of that at all. I presume it’s speculation and, to my knowledge, not the case," Ornstein stated. Nevertheless, Ornstein did confirm that Liverpool hold a "credible interest" in Camara. Any future move by Liverpool, now managed by Andoni Iraola, will likely depend on midfield squad space and potential high-profile departures, such as Alexis Mac Allister, in coming transfer windows.
