Chelsea agree cut-price Lamine Camara deal - Fabrizio Romano

Updated: 1 Sept 2026 21:49 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Chelsea have struck an agreement with AS Monaco for midfielder Lamine Camara and are now rushing to complete this transfer before the deadline.

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Just when it looked like Chelsea would fail to bring in a replacement for Man City-bound Enzo Fernandez, circumstances elsewhere played into their hands. Everton's difficulties in signing Monaco striker Folarin Balogun may have just salvaged Xabi Alonso's midfield plans.

The Toffees were closing in on a deal to sign the American striker - until he failed his medical. Although Everton insist that a deal could still be done, Monaco, who need money, seemingly got cold feet when they were informed of the Balogun complications.

Current ETV

Lamine Camara

M, DM (C)

Monaco

Lamine Camara

M, DM (C)

Monaco

ETV Range

€26.9M - €32.8M

According to journalist Romain Molina, Monaco were demanding €70m from Chelsea for Camara earlier today when they were still under the impression that Balogun would fetch them around €50m.

Now, that situation has drastically changed, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Blues have managed to convince the desperate Ligue 1 club to sell the Senegal international for just €55m.

Chelsea agree Camara deal

The transfer insider reports that a verbal agreement has been struck. Camara, who has been waiting all day to board his plane to London, has been authorised to travel to England.

Romano himself reported this afternoon that Monaco had rebuffed Chelsea when they intimated that they would be ready to pay €55m for Camara. The principality club made it clear to the Blues that it would take "something special" to sign the midfielder on Deadline Day.

That "something special" has now happened, although no one could have predicted that it would be the failed medical of a different player rather than Chelsea agreeing to pay a premium fee.

Thanks to Balogun, Chelsea are on the verge of securing their top midfield target on a cut-price deal. If they can manage to finalise all the paperwork before the deadline - they can hand in a deal sheet and get an additional two hours to complete the transfer - then this Deadline Day will have been an undeniable success.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Camara has already completed his medical. He is set to sign a six-year contract with the option for a further season.

If all goes to plan, Chelsea will have offloaded wantaway Enzo Fernandez for a joint-Premier League record fee of €145m and replaced him with one of Europe's best young midfielders in Camara for just €55m.