Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez replacement is coming: Club senses transfer is close

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Chelsea’s preparations for life after Enzo Fernandez are advancing, with the Premier League giants the leading contenders to sign Lamine Camara from Monaco.

Camara has been lined up as the leading option to replace the Argentina international, who is strongly linked with Manchester City, at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool were interested in him earlier this summer, but Fabrizio Romano says that Chelsea are currently unchallenged for the Senegal international.

Chelsea make contact over Camara deal

Romano revealed that Chelsea have initiated contract talks as they seek to push through a deal before the transfer deadline on 1 September.

“Chelsea made contact with Monaco yesterday. There was a direct conversation involving Chelsea management and Monaco director Thiago Scuro,” Romano told his YouTube channel.

“Monaco still hope to keep the player, but tonight Monaco are starting to feel that Chelsea might arrive. Chelsea so far have only asked for information: the price and the conditions of the deal. So this was the meeting yesterday, but Monaco have a feeling that Chelsea are coming. Monaco have a feeling that Chelsea will be there.”

The Ligue 1 side’s transfer activity suggests they are gearing up to lose the midfielder.

Monaco have signed Erick Lira from Cruz Azul in a deal worth a total of €10 million plus a 20% sell-on clause, while they continue to monitor Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr.

Liverpool out of the picture – at least for now

Interest from Liverpool in Camara has faded.

Romano confirmed: “It’s true that Liverpool were asking for the conditions of the deal for Lamine Camara, but it was a few weeks ago, not now. It was in July when they were trying to explore this possibility.

“In recent days, nothing really moved between Liverpool and Lamine Camara. Let's see, because we never know in the market what happens. But at the moment, the club really focused on Lamine Camara is Chelsea.

“Again, for Liverpool, I'm not saying that as breaking news or important news. It's just something behind the scenes. It's normal for clubs to inquire about players and understand the situations, but Liverpool never really advanced because Liverpool are not planning to sign a midfielder for now.

“Then I never know, and you never know, and we never know what happens in the final days of the window. We have to keep all the doors open.”

Lamine Camara: The ultimate athlete who can offer Chelsea a new dimension

Camara is the ultimate athlete in the centre of the field. SciSports’ data indicates that he is both fast and has considerably higher stamina levels compared to the average Ligue 1 central midfielder, and in a league noted for its physicality, this is impressive.

Beyond his impressive physicality, he is a similar type of player to Enzo, though offers more of a link between the defence and midfield. His passing also tends to be a little more ambitious, which is reflected in higher assist numbers, he but also posts strong counter-interception numbers, showing that he can have an impact at both ends of the field.

In terms of his playing style, he resembles Enzo more than Moises Caicedo, yet he has attributes of a ball-winning midfielder that neither of Chelsea’s current central players boasts.

Camara is the type of player who could balance out the heart of the field and provide a stable platform for Xabi Alonso to construct his team around, which would help the Blues justify spending so much on a player whose Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) sits at €33.2m.