There has been plenty of talk about Liverpool and Lamine Camara over the past few days.
But I think the situation needs to be looked at slightly differently.
Because Liverpool didn’t simply miss out on Camara.
They didn’t suddenly discover that another club had beaten them to their preferred midfielder.
Liverpool and Camara maintained contact throughout the transfer window, and the feeling was that Liverpool were the midfielder’s preferred destination.
The deal was there to be done.
Chelsea had effectively reached an agreement with Monaco.
Monaco needed the money.
Camara was interested in Liverpool.
And yet Liverpool ultimately decided to wait.
The belief was that an agreement could potentially be reached in January for a move next summer.
And that’s where this story becomes fascinating.
So why didn’t Liverpool do the deal now?
This is the question I’ve been asking myself.
If Liverpool like Camara…
If Camara likes Liverpool…
If Monaco were prepared to sell…
And if the player was available…
Why wait?
There were obviously footballing and financial considerations involved.
Camara also has enormous respect for Flamengo boss Felipe Luís, and that played a part in the situation.
But his preference for Liverpool reportedly remained clear.
So this wasn’t simply a case of Camara choosing Chelsea over Liverpool.
It wasn’t Liverpool being beaten to their man.
Liverpool made a decision.
They chose to wait.
And personally, I think some of the decisions Liverpool made this summer help explain why.
Richard Hughes’ previous decisions matter
This is where Richard Hughes’ time at Liverpool becomes particularly interesting.
One of the biggest examples is Ryan Gravenberch.
Liverpool handed him a new contract.
That is understandable.
Gravenberch has developed enormously and has become an important player.
But once you’ve rewarded a midfielder with a significant new contract, there is another question to consider.
What happens if you immediately bring in another midfielder who could compete directly for his position?
Would that create an unnecessary problem?
Would the new signing be viewed as competition?
Would supporters start asking why Liverpool have just given Gravenberch a new contract if they’re now looking for someone to replace him?
I suspect those considerations mattered.
And then there is Alexis Mac Allister.
Liverpool, alongside Andoni Iraola, would reportedly like Mac Allister to be the next midfielder to extend his contract.
Again, completely understandable.
Mac Allister is hugely important.
But bringing in Camara could potentially complicate that situation.
And this is where I think Liverpool may have overthought things.
Was Liverpool’s thinking too cautious?
Because football squads cannot be built around avoiding competition.
Quite the opposite.
Competition is supposed to make your squad better.
If Liverpool genuinely believe Camara can become an elite midfielder, then his arrival shouldn’t be viewed as a threat to Gravenberch or Mac Allister.
It should be viewed as another player capable of pushing them.
That’s how elite football clubs operate.
You don’t avoid signing an excellent player because somebody else might feel threatened by the competition.
You sign the player because you believe he makes your squad stronger.
And this is where I think the Camara decision becomes frustrating.
Liverpool apparently had the opportunity.
But instead of taking it, they decided to wait.
👀 Look at the full-back situation
And I think we’ve seen similar thinking elsewhere this summer.
Take the right-back position.
Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong, but he hasn’t yet completely justified the investment.
That doesn’t mean Frimpong is a bad player.
Far from it.
But his start to life at Liverpool has highlighted the fact that the club could still have done with another option.
That’s why Liverpool explored a late loan for Malo Gusto.
But even that would only have been a temporary solution.
It would essentially have provided additional cover while Conor Bradley recovered from injury.
So Liverpool were looking at solutions around a problem rather than making a decisive long-term change.
Again, perhaps there were perfectly good reasons for doing so.
But it feels like a pattern.
And then there is Cody Gakpo
This is perhaps the most obvious example.
Liverpool handed Cody Gakpo a significant new contract.
Again, there is nothing wrong with that in itself.
Gakpo is a very good player.
He has produced important moments for Liverpool and proved his quality.
But stylistically, I don’t believe he is the perfect fit for everything Iraola wants from his attackers.
And that’s where the contradiction appears.
Liverpool recognised certain attacking requirements.
They explored alternatives.
Yet instead of addressing the imbalance directly, the club explored options involving players who were injured or arguably less suited to the profile they actually needed.
And Gakpo stayed.
Liverpool ultimately rejected a huge offer from Manchester City.
Around £85m could potentially have been generated from his departure.
That’s an enormous amount of money.
And it could have been reinvested into the squad.
Instead, Liverpool kept Gakpo.
Again, that isn’t necessarily the wrong decision.
But it demonstrates the dilemma.
Liverpool didn’t want to undermine a player they had just rewarded.
They didn’t want to lose a valuable squad member.
They didn’t want to create another hole.
And so the opportunity to make a significant change was allowed to pass.
This is why the Camara situation is different
That’s why I don’t think we should describe the Lamine Camara situation simply as:
Liverpool missed out.
They didn’t.
Liverpool still like him.
Camara still likes Liverpool.
The relationship has been maintained.
Liverpool apparently believe they can potentially return for him in 2027.
And the player reportedly still sees Liverpool as his preferred destination.
That is a very different situation from losing a transfer battle.
Liverpool haven’t necessarily lost Camara.
They’ve chosen to wait for him.
And that could prove to be a very clever decision.
Or it could come back to haunt them.
Waiting comes with a risk
Because Monaco aren’t stupid.
If Camara has another outstanding season, his value could increase significantly.
Liverpool may be thinking they can negotiate a better deal next summer.
But what if his price goes up?
What if another Premier League club comes in?
What if Real Madrid or another European giant decides they want him?
What if Camara becomes one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe?
Suddenly, the deal Liverpool could have done this summer might look very different.
That’s the gamble they’ve taken.
And Liverpool still needed a midfielder
This is the part I struggle with most.
Liverpool finished the window without adding the midfielder I believe they needed.
And that isn’t because Camara wasn’t available.
It’s because Liverpool chose not to make that move.
Maybe Iraola genuinely believes the current midfield can provide everything he needs.
Maybe Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and the other options will prove sufficient.
I hope they do.
But I still believe Liverpool needed more balance.
And if Camara was genuinely regarded as a long-term target, I would have preferred Liverpool to bring him in now.
Good players shouldn’t be avoided because they create competition.
They should be welcomed.
But Richard Hughes is no longer Liverpool’s problem
And this is where the story takes another interesting turn.
Richard Hughes has now left Liverpool.
He is no longer responsible for Liverpool’s transfer decisions.
He is no longer the person who has to decide whether Camara fits alongside Gravenberch.
He doesn’t have to worry about whether signing another midfielder could complicate Mac Allister’s contract negotiations.
He doesn’t have to decide whether Gakpo’s new contract makes another attacking signing awkward.
He doesn’t have to decide whether Liverpool should strengthen the right-back position.
He is Al Hilal’s problem now.
And perhaps that is the biggest difference of all.
Liverpool now have a chance to move differently
Liverpool’s next transfer decisions should be based on one thing:
Does this player make the team better?
Not whether he might upset somebody.
Not whether he might create competition.
Not whether we have recently handed somebody a new contract.
Not whether signing him makes another decision more difficult.
If Camara is good enough, sign him.
If another midfielder is better, sign him.
If another right-back is needed, sign him.
If another attacker fits Iraola’s system better, sign him.
That’s how you build a squad capable of competing at the very highest level.
Maybe waiting for Camara will prove to be brilliant
I don’t want this article to become an attack on Liverpool simply because they didn’t sign Camara.
There is a perfectly reasonable argument for waiting.
Perhaps Liverpool believe they can get him next summer.
Perhaps Camara genuinely wants Liverpool.
Perhaps Monaco will eventually accept a sensible fee.
And perhaps Liverpool will look back in 12 months and say:
We got exactly what we wanted.
If that happens, I’ll happily admit the club got it right.
But I still believe Liverpool took a risk.
Because when you have a player you like, a player who reportedly likes you, and a club that needs to sell, opportunities like that don’t come around every day.
My verdict
The Lamine Camara story isn’t really about Liverpool losing a transfer battle.
It’s about Liverpool choosing not to fight it now.
And I find that much more interesting.
The club apparently maintained contact with Camara throughout the window.
His preference reportedly remained Liverpool.
Monaco were under financial pressure.
Chelsea had effectively reached an agreement.
Liverpool could have tried to make it happen.
Instead, they decided to wait.
Maybe that will prove to be excellent planning.
Maybe it will prove to be another missed opportunity.
But one thing is certain.
Liverpool like Lamine Camara.
Lamine Camara likes Liverpool.
And the door hasn’t been closed.
The biggest difference now is that the man who helped make those decisions at Liverpool is gone.
Richard Hughes is no longer Liverpool’s problem.
He’s Al Hilal’s problem.
And perhaps, for Liverpool, that’s exactly what they need.
A fresh approach.
A willingness to embrace competition.
And a transfer strategy based on one simple question:
Does this make Liverpool better?
If the answer is yes…
Sign him.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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