Chelsea agree deal to sign Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara | OneFootball

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, Sacha Tavolieri reports.

The Blues have reportedly agreed to pay around €45 million (£38.5m) for the Senegal international, with only a few details left to be finalised.

Chelsea are still discussing the payment structure, but Camara is expected to join the west Londoners before the transfer window closes on Tuesday.

The Blues are currently the Premier League’s highest spenders, but they’re not done yet.

Bringing in a midfielder is imperative for Chelsea, especially with Enzo Fernandez strongly linked with Manchester City, and Camara is seen as the ideal long-term partner for Moises Caicedo in Xabi Alonso’s midfield.

The 22-year-old is one of the most promising midfielders in Ligue 1.

His performances for Monaco have stunned new manager Felipe Luis, with the ex-Chelsea man describing Camara as ‘very different‘.

Chelsea are now in pole position to secure his signature.

Camara has made 75 appearances across all competitions since joining Monaco, scoring six goals and providing 11 assists.

He has also become a key player for the Senegalese national team, winning 37 caps and representing his country at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the World Cup.

Chelsea wanted to wait until Fernandez leaves the club before pushing for Camara but have decided to go ahead with the deal for the Senegalese midfielder.

They’re still waiting to see if Man City will make a move for Fernandez before Tuesday’s deadline.

Fernandez made a cameo appearance for Chelsea in their season-opening victory against Fulham but has been left out of subsequent games against Luton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Chelsea are demanding a sizeable fee for Fernandez. The Blues initially set a deadline for Man City to sign the Argentine midfielder for £120m.

However, they’re now expected to demand around £140m for the World Cup winner, although it remains to be seen if Man City will make their move in the coming days.

Chelsea have also explored moves for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi, but both options are considered near-impossible at this stage of the transfer window.