Liverpool have identified Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara and Roma's Manu Kone as primary future midfield options, according to leading journalist David Ornstein. The Premier League club are monitoring the pair as potential long-term options in the engine room, particularly if Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister departs in a future window.
Chelsea's collapsed pursuit driving €70m price tag
Lamine Camara, 22, was on the verge of joining Chelsea during the summer transfer window. According to details revealed by Fabrizio Romano, the Senegalese midfielder was preparing for a medical in a private hospital after Chelsea agreed a €55m fee with Monaco, before the Ligue 1 club pulled out of the deal. Following the collapse of the transfer, Monaco are now believed to value Camara at around €70m.
Alongside Camara, Liverpool are keeping tabs on Roma midfielder Manu Kone. Speaking on the transfer landscape, David Ornstein noted that Kone, 25, "came very close to joining Chelsea" before they pivoted to Camara. Ornstein added that Liverpool like Kone as a "potential future option" as they monitor Roma's European status and financial compliance ahead of the winter window.
Midfield strategic planning and Mac Allister's stance
The interest in these robust, defensive-minded profiles comes despite Mac Allister being under contract at Anfield until June 2028. Mac Allister's father and agent, Carlos, recently clarified the player's stance, stating that "Alexis is not thinking about leaving Liverpool" and "wants to stay at the club," despite Liverpool not yet starting contract renewal talks.
However, Ornstein revealed that "if Mac Allister had left, [Liverpool's] top choice would have been Lamine Camara." With Liverpool short of dedicated defensive-midfield depth, both Camara and Kone fit the physical profile required to shield the defence, offering a tactical alternative to Mac Allister's more progressive, possession-based style. If concrete bids materialise, they are anticipated closer to the 2027 transfer windows.
