Liverpool reported to make contact with Lamine Camara's camp for January

Unconfirmed, but with a back story: Liverpool have reportedly made contact with the camp of Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, with a January move in mind.

Who is reporting it

The Daily Mirror, as relayed by Sky Sports' paper review, says Liverpool made contact after Chelsea emerged as frontrunners for Bournemouth's Alex Scott. The January timing is in Sky's headline on that item. The Sun, via BBC Sport's gossip column, has Liverpool in touch with both Monaco and Camara, the 22-year-old Senegal midfielder.

Why Camara

He almost went to Chelsea. On deadline day, 1 September, Football365 reports Chelsea had agreed a deal and had Camara lined up for a medical. Monaco pulled out in the final hours. Fabrizio Romano said the deal was cancelled after a written agreement between the clubs, as Monaco went ahead with the sale of Folarin Balogun to Everton, and that Chelsea were furious.

Ben Jacobs told talkSPORT that Chelsea had bid €45m and €50m earlier, both rejected, that the deal on the day was €55m, and that Monaco thought they could get €70m. He also said Liverpool made calls that day, telling Monaco and Camara to wait.

What else is reported

Football365 cites Romano saying Liverpool are interested in both Scott and Camara as they look for a midfield signing in 2027. TeamTalk reported Liverpool viewing Dortmund's Felix Nmecha as an alternative to Scott. That makes Camara one of several names, not a lone target.

What is not known

Nobody has said Liverpool have made a bid, or that Monaco have changed their stance since the collapse. The price is loose too: Jacobs has €70m, while talkSPORT's blog, via Football365, has about £60m.

The timing is the real doubt. That same blog read Liverpool's message as a move next summer, not in January. Chelsea are unclear as well: Mark Brus of CaughtOffside, via Football365, said in September they had ended their interest, while another Football365 piece says they remain keen.

The read

Chelsea had the deal collapse, and Liverpool had the good manners to leave a number. Their contact with the camp looks like a polite way of saying they would like the next phone call. Scott and Camara together would cost a fortune, so the likelier outcome is one or the other, or neither if Monaco's price stays at €70m. My lean: if this happens, summer looks likelier than January.