Talks collapse giving Liverpool perfect transfer lifeline on deadline day
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Lamine Camara is set to stay put at AS Monaco this summer despite significant interest from Chelsea.The Ligue 1 midfielder had seemed set to join Xabi Alonso’s project at Stamford Bridge, with the player himself willing to make the move happen, according to Sacha Tavolieri on X (formerly Twitter).However, “issues at the very heart of the deal” are understood to have killed any hopes of a deal being finalised on deadline day.Lamine Camara: Chelsea’s loss may yet be Liverpool’s gain(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)We’re under no illusion that Camara could yet sign for Liverpool instead, with time quickly running out on deadline day.The Merseysiders certainly appear content to leave the squad as is, despite obvious deficiencies (never mind an additional concern over numbers). ❌🔵 Lamine Camara ne rejoindra finalement pas le Chelsea Football Club cet été. It’s true that Liverpool were asking for conditions of the deal for Lamine Camara, but it was a few weeks ago.
It was in July when they were trying to explore this possibility.”What’s stopping Liverpool from making a late push this summer?(Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)Andoni Iraola seems relatively convinced that he can make do with his current first-choice options for the midfield pivot in Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.But from a squad perspective, Liverpool are also currently hamstrung by the lack of a free overseas spot. And while some have suggested that the Reds could simply de-register injured man Hugo Ekitike until the winter window, the club seems uninterested in this perfectly legal loophole.Let’s be honest, it’s very much our M.O. to clear space by shifting spare parts in Federico Chiesa, Kostas Tsimikas and Wataru Endo.
And normally, we’d be in favour of this, but none of these options look set to make way in the coming hours.READ MORE: Journalist shares what he’s heard from ‘people at Liverpool’ about deadline day activityBut perhaps there’ll be takers in January, just in time for the club to address our ongoing lack of a six with natural defensive instincts.At any rate, Andoni Iraola’s just going to have to make do with the parts he’s got available. It’s just a shame this feels less like the club backing the Basque’s considerable coaching acumen and more like recruitment having badly let down Arne Slot’s successor.Want more Empire of the Kop coverage?