PROFILE | Monaco’s Lamine Camara tailor-made for the Premier League | OneFootball

Lamine Camara is a player perfectly suited to the modern game. Out of possession, his aggression – sometimes on the limit – and work rate are invaluable, allowing Monaco to be aggressive with and without the ball, in the knowledge that Camara has the desire to cover large spaces. In this sense, it is when Camara is not on the pitch that his real impact on this Monaco side is seen. 

But he has another very valuable weapon – his delivery. Last season, he made seven assists; he already has three this season in just 12 games across all competitions. In Ligue 1, he features inside the top five players for assists-per-90. In a game where set-pieces are becoming increasingly important, his ability to find teammates in the box holds great value. It means that only two players in Ligue 1 have more goal-creating actions than the Monaco midfielder in Ligue 1 this season. His upside in possession, coupled with his importance off it, make him a player ideally suited for an elite side and perhaps more specifically, an elite Premier League side. 

Camara – an elite pathway

Off the pitch, he is an unassuming character, one who always wants to learn from those around him, and one who values the more experienced figures. He has previously spoken about feeling more confident when alongside club captain Denis Zakaria; still just 21, he knows that there is a lot to learn and he relies on Zakaria’s guidance on the pitch. He will now be able to learn from one of the best midfielders of the last generation in the form of Paul Pogba. Between the individuals that he has the chance to play alongside and the pathway he has taken – from Génération Foot, through to Metz, and now to Monaco, one of the most renowned developers of players in world football – his training has been elite.

It has produced a player perfectly suited to the demands of the modern game. Despite injuries at the start of this season, he isn’t lacking in rhythm, and should he continue apace, he could become Monaco’s next big-money sale. There are already reports of interest from Premier League sides, and should he continue to play a prominent role, despite the presence of Pogba and Zakaria in the midfield, that interest should only grow further.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle