"It's not the end of the world": Monaco retains Lamine Camara and starts him at the Parc des Princes

Starting and giving 100% this Friday at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain: that's the remedy prescribed by Monaco coach Filipe Luis for his midfielder Lamine Camara. A victim of a last-minute mix-up that scuppered his transfer to Chelsea during the transfer window, the 22-year-old Senegalese international now needs to quickly channel his frustration onto the pitch.

Since taking over as manager of AS Monaco, Filipe Luis has made the Senegalese player one of his key players, even naming him vice-captain alongside veterans like Eric Dier and Lukas Hradecky. "I've seen many in that position, he's a special player," the manager stated last week. An opinion shared by Xabi Alonso, the new Chelsea manager, who tried to lure the player away in the final hours of the transfer window.

Although professional and very attached to his club, Lamine Camara was not immune to the allure of the London club. But the Monaco management's position had been clear since June: the player was considered non-transferable, except in the case of an astronomical offer (70 million euros) or a major unforeseen event.

A last-minute mix-up surrounding Folarin Balogun

The situation changed drastically on Tuesday evening. While American striker Folarin Balogun was in Liverpool to sign for Everton, the English club suddenly raised doubts about his physical condition.

“At that point, we had to open the door to discussions with Chelsea regarding Lamine,” explains Monaco’s general manager, Thiago Scuro. “It was almost 8:00 PM. I called the player directly and informed his agent to discuss the terms of a departure.”

But just as a three-way agreement was about to be finalized, negotiations between Everton and Monaco for Balogun resumed with renewed vigor. Thiago Scuro immediately informed Chelsea that discussions for Camara had been halted, firmly vetoing the Senegalese midfielder's departure.

This was a devastating blow for the player, who strongly urged management to let him leave. Despite his disappointment, Camara trained normally the following morning, even though the episode had left its mark.

"It's not the end of the world."

On the management and staff side, efforts are being made to minimize the trauma and to remobilize the Senegalese talent.

“I can understand his disappointment,” Thiago Scuro acknowledged. “He may have been excited by the opportunity to join a club like Chelsea. We explained the reasons to him and we continue to work together. It’s not the end of the world; it was one opportunity among many, and he will soon have better offers. The reality is that we are very happy that he is staying.”

Within the locker room, support is also unanimous. Experienced English defender Eric Dier emphasizes the player's maturity: "It's a difficult situation, but quite common in football. The most respectful thing to do is to continue working with him normally. He's young, focused, and he needs to learn the positives from this experience."

For Filipe Luis, the best therapy remains competition. "All the big European clubs are watching him. If he maintains his mentality, he will become even better. What makes him happy is playing. And that's what he'll do this Friday against Paris."

(With AFP)