Arsenal have entered the race to sign AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, whose proposed move to Chelsea dramatically fell apart on transfer deadline day.
Chelsea had agreed a £47m deal to bring the 22-year-old to Stamford Bridge, but Monaco ultimately blocked the transfer in the closing stages of the window.
The French club’s decision stemmed from their desire to sell striker Folarin Balogun to Everton, a deal that collapsed when Balogun backed out despite having already undergone a medical.
With the transfer chaos resolved against him, Camara returned to Monaco’s squad and immediately made his presence felt in Ligue 1.
The Senegal international put in a standout performance as Monaco claimed a surprise 2-1 victory over European champions Paris Saint-Germain, completing 35 of 38 passes and winning 12 of 20 ground duels.
Monaco manager Filipe Luis made his feelings on the situation clear last month, stating: “I hope to keep him. You see the player he is – unbelievable. Until the end of the transfer window, anything can happen. Everyone hopes that he stays. He’s an elite.”
Despite those sentiments from Luis, Camara’s agents are still actively working to secure their client a move away from Monaco at the earliest opportunity.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal sent a scout to watch Camara in action against PSG, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City all sending representatives to monitor the midfielder.
Questions remain, however, over whether Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta truly needs another central midfielder after completing the high-profile signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United in the summer.
Arteta already has Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi at his disposal in central midfield, with Myles Lewis-Skelly also offering versatility to cover that position when required.
A return to Chelsea could make more practical sense for Camara, given that manager Xabi Alonso was left short in central midfield after Enzo Fernandez completed a deadline day move to Manchester City.
Camara proved his quality in Ligue 1 last season by contributing three goals and four assists across 24 appearances, demonstrating he can influence games at both ends of the pitch.
His performances this season have continued to attract praise, keeping the midfielder firmly in the shop window as Europe’s biggest clubs circle ahead of the January transfer window.