Chelsea move for Lamine Camara COLLAPSES as Monaco branded ‘unprofessional’ after late twist

Chelsea’s deadline day move to sign Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara has dramatically collapsed, leaving Xabi Alonso without a direct replacement for Enzo Fernandez.

Manchester City have reached a British transfer record-equalling £125million fee to sign Fernandez from Chelsea, and that transfer has now been officially announced.

TEAMtalk revealed earlier this summer that Chelsea had identified Camara as a potential replacement for Fernandez, and we shared in an update earlier today that the Blues had agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old. 

The transfer was subsequently thrown into doubt due to Monaco’s asking price, and Chelsea saw to offers rejected for the midfielder.

It then emerged that Chelsea had struck an agreement to sign Camara for £47million, before yet another twist emerged on Deadline Day…

Respected journalist, David Ornstein, has now confirmed that Chelsea’s move to sign Camara is now OFF.

” Lamine Camara from AS Monaco to Chelsea collapses. #CFC say full written agreement found for 22yo midfielder to join before #ASMonaco reneged following renegotiation of Folarin Balogun transfer to Everton,” Ornstein posted on X.

“Senegal international’s move off.”

Balogun saga leads to Chelsea’s Camara deal collapsing

Indeed, it appears the collapse of Camara’s move to Chelsea has come as a direct consequence of another major Deadline Day saga – Folarin Balogun’s move to Everton.

Everton agreed a deal worth £40million to sign Monaco striker Balogun, before the move was thrown into doubt after issues emerged following his medical.

However, the Toffees have been renegotiating a deal for Balogun – which will see them pay a lower fee up front – and have submitted a deal sheet to get the transfer done after the deadline, as TEAMtalk confirmed earlier.

This came after Everton failed with a late offer to sign Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee on loan.

But with Monaco now set to recoup a fee for Balogun, it appears they felt they were in a stronger financial position to go back on their agreement with Chelsea for Camara.

After the news broke, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol said live on air that “Chelsea feel Monaco have acted in a deeply unprofessional way after calling off the Lamine Camara deal.”

This comes as a major blow for Alonso, as Chelsea are left without a new midfield signing following Fernandez’s record switch to Man City.