02 Sep 2026 13:07:36
Any ITKs have any info on why Balogan and Camara's move collapsing. Seems a strange one and I see some reporters saying we spoke to Monaco and that's why they pulled the plug on Camara to Chelsea. Could it be that we have said we will go back in Jan with a higher offer so they get Camara for 5 months this season or is it just reporters putting 2 and 2 together to make 5.
Just seems a strange one as the deal was agreed so intrigued to hear of anyone has any intel?
02 Sep 2026 13:35:44
Monaco are a distressed asset (in financial trouble). Chelsea, Liverpool and other clubs saw the deadline to take advantage of that.
Everyone lost out by playing it out to the wire.
02 Sep 2026 13:59:59
I read that they decided to keep Camara since the Balogun deal was progressing and seemingly agreed, but Balogun rejected Everton at the last minute and that there wasn't time for them to revive the Camara deal with Chelsea. I'm still unsure about our promise to them to go back in Jan though. That sounds like a playground rumour to me.
02 Sep 2026 14:31:37
Here are the events:
- AS Monaco needed to make a sale to help resolve a debt issue and free up a non-EU squad spot to sign Mexican midfielder Erik Lira.
- Monaco agreed a deal to sell Folarin Balogun to Everton, but problems and doubts emerged during his medical and the transfer stalled.
- Chelsea then sensed an opportunity. With Enzo Fernandez heading to Manchester City, they went all-in for Lamine Camara as his replacement and reached an agreement with Monaco.
- Everton, meanwhile, turned to Joshua Zirkzee after the Balogun problems — but Manchester United refused to let him leave.
- With the deadline approaching, Everton returned for Balogun and attempted to renegotiate the deal on cheaper terms.
- Monaco preferred selling Balogun rather than Camara, so they pulled the plug on Camara’s move to Chelsea.
- Chelsea could have responded by cancelling Enzo Fernandez’s move to Manchester City. Instead, they honoured their agreement and allowed Enzo to leave — despite suddenly having no replacement.
- And then came the final twist… Balogun decided not to join Everton following the medical and negotiation drama, leaving the training centre without signing.
So after all of that…
- Monaco kept both Balogun and Camara, failed to raise the money they wanted and didn’t free up the non-EU spot needed for Erik Lira.
- Erik Lira therefore didn’t join Monaco.
- Chelsea lost Enzo Fernandez for a Premier League-record fee and missed out on his planned replacement, Camara.
- Everton missed out on both Balogun and Zirkzee. Having already sold Beto to Fiorentina, Thierno Barry is now their only recognised centre-forward.
02 Sep 2026 14:31:45
I hope it's a playground rumour, because that's utterly disgraceful if we've done that.
02 Sep 2026 15:48:13
How is it disgraceful? Every club does it. How many clubs attempt to hijack deals at the last minute? You think Arsenal didn't do the same to us for Zubimendi?
02 Sep 2026 16:28:39
Arsenal didn't hijack Zubimendi from us. They signed him the season after he rejected us. Iirc, it was Sociedad who convinced him to stay an extra season and we didn't go back for him the season after.
02 Sep 2026 16:44:09
According to some on here, someone from LFC had a polite convo with the Monaco hierarchy and asked them to hold off selling Camara, and that Camara only wants Liverpool. Sounds plausible. ?
{Ed001's Note - it was posted by some journalist or other. The fact that he thought that plausible tells you a lot about the level of journalism these days.}
02 Sep 2026 17:37:52
The moral of the story was, do not wait until the last day of the transfer window.
{Ed025's Note - fail to prepare ...then prepare to fail Light..
02 Sep 2026 17:39:55
My personal opinion is we wanted Camara, but couldn't free up the space. We naively thought all summer that someone would leave and we could sort it. It didn't happen and we left the door open for Chelsea. Hughes P.P.P., in my opinion.
If it wasn't for Everton buying the striker, he would be a Chelsea player.
It just so happens that the medical delayed matters, and he got cold feet, leaving Monaco in a mess.
However, the notion it was to do with us is adding 2+2 and getting 15. If it was even an ounce true, he would never have spoken to Chelsea originally and waited for us.
02 Sep 2026 18:52:10
Balogun and Monaco seemingly saying that Balogun was badly treated at the Everton training ground after the medical, so he decided he didn't want to join them and wanted to go back to Monaco. Nothing Monaco could do and they had to accept the player back. This is all according to Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro.
{Ed666's Note - maybe he has a happy disposition and not a bitter one ?
02 Sep 2026 19:15:51
Nice summary there, Kaka009. In my head I finished it off with… Will Chelsea find a way to replace Enzo Fernandez after his record-breaking escape to Manchester City? Will Monaco ever forgive Everton for causing a medical meltdown, renegotiating a cheaper deal, and then watching Folarin Balogun reject the move anyway? And will Lamine Camara ever make it out of France after Monaco pulled the plug on his signed contract just to spite the Blues? These questions—and many others—will be answered in the next episode of… Soap.
02 Sep 2026 20:23:34
Is this still the Liverpool site?
{Ed025's Note - how insular of you WDW, its just a footballing topic about a rivals fortunes mate, if we cant mention any other teams i would have to delete more than half the posts...i will keep my eye on yours..
02 Sep 2026 20:30:28
Hopefully Bhatia can close the Olise deal next year.
02 Sep 2026 21:35:13
From our side, we've got Grav, Macca, Dom and Trey for 2 midfield spots. I would have brought in someone like Camara and carried 5 until we can sort a sale in Jan or next summer.
But looks like the club have opted to kick that down the road. I don't think it's wrong per se.
03 Sep 2026 08:53:56
Apologies @25, post-window stress disorder on my part, just the ‘he said that they said that the other fella had said’ stuff isn’t really about football. It’s just gossip. That said, there’s nothing really wrong with gossip, I suppose. I’ll try and play nicely (at least for a week or two).
{Ed025's Note - good to hear WDW, you have been here longer than me mate and we all have to be more inclusive and tolerant my old friend..
03 Sep 2026 14:16:20
Mb0504.
If you want Liverpool to conduct business like an ape then whatever. But I am highly critical of others who do it, so I will maintain that stance no matter what club is perpetuating it.
03 Sep 2026 15:35:54
It's such a shame there isn't a thumbs down button on here, with an auto rule that 10+ (or whatever) results in an auto ban for a period. The amount of asinine comments is staggering