Denis Zakaria Backs Lamine Camara to Stay Focused at Monaco
Lamine Camara has been urged to remain focused on Monaco after the Senegal midfielder’s proposed move to Chelsea collapsed in the final hours of the transfer window. Denis Zakaria, his Monaco teammate and a former Chelsea loanee, said Camara is in the right place after another influential display in the Ligue 1 leaders’ 2-1 victory over Lens.
Why Camara’s decision matters for Monaco and Chelsea
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Proposed transfer | £47 million ($63m) verbal agreement for Camara |
| Camara’s age | 22 |
| Monaco’s latest result | Monaco 2-1 Lens |
| Ligue 1 record | Four wins from five matches |
| League position | First, two points ahead of Lyon and Paris FC |
| Caicedo’s Chelsea minutes | 14 minutes this season |
| Fernández departure | £125m ($167m) sale to Manchester City |
Chelsea made their move for Camara on deadline day, with a £47m package verbally accepted before Monaco withdrew from the arrangement. The London club were left angry by the late change, with Monaco not providing the explanation Chelsea expected for abandoning the deal.
The failed transfer has put greater focus on Chelsea’s midfield options. Moisés Caicedo has been restricted to 14 minutes this season because of injury, while Enzo Fernández joined Manchester City in a £125m deadline-day sale. Chelsea had targeted Camara as they sought to address a group that has looked short of numbers in the opening weeks.
Camara has instead become a key figure in Monaco’s early momentum under Filipe Luis. Their win against Lens maintained first place in Ligue 1, with Lyon and Liam Rosenior’s Paris FC the nearest challengers, two points behind.
Zakaria, who spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Chelsea from Juventus, believes the episode can help Camara. The Switzerland international made seven Premier League appearances during a turbulent season in which Chelsea had three managers and finished 12th.
“Chelsea was an attractive opportunity, but I told him he is better off here,” Zakaria said after the Lens match. “I know his qualities as a player and as a person. He is highly professional, and I feel the transfer falling through has made him stronger. He was outstanding against Lens.”
Camara had already made clear that he does not intend to dwell on the missed switch. Earlier in September, he said a departure had been possible but the deal failed at the last moment, adding that he had moved on and was concentrating fully on Monaco’s campaign.
Filipe Luis, a Premier League title winner with Chelsea in 2015, has overseen Monaco’s strong start after previously being considered for the Stamford Bridge job following Rosenior’s departure. Chelsea ultimately appointed Xabi Alonso instead.
