Liverpool's Transfer Dilemma: Barcola Deal Almost Done, Camara Targeted
Liverpool’s summer business is not finished yet – and the midfield question refuses to go away.
A well-placed source on X has indicated the club are still active in the market for a midfielder, with Monaco’s Lamine Camara high on the list of potential solutions. The 22-year-old has been tracked closely, and inside the club there is clear admiration for his profile.
At the same time, Liverpool are closing in on a huge attacking move: a £120m package deal for Bradley Barcola from PSG is understood to be on the brink of completion. That kind of outlay shapes the rest of the window. It also sharpens the dilemma.
Midfield balance still not right
The numbers tell one story, the eye test another. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were central to the title-winning midfield of 2024/25, driving Liverpool forward and shredding defensive lines with their running and passing.
But both are front-foot players. When games become stretched, the middle of the pitch can look thin. The 2-2 draw with Newcastle at the weekend was the latest warning sign, with Liverpool repeatedly exposed in transition and short of natural defensive cover in front of the back line.
That is why the conversation about a new midfielder simply won’t die. The squad is strong, the attack is being reinforced, yet the sense lingers that one more piece is missing in the centre of the pitch.
Camara: bite and brain in one package
If Liverpool do decide to move for a defensive-minded midfielder, Camara fits the brief on paper.
Monaco have already turned down a £35m offer from Crystal Palace, as reported by the BBC, and other reports place the Ligue 1 club’s valuation somewhere between £42.8m and £51.4m. That is serious money, but it reflects how highly he is rated in France.
Camara’s appeal goes beyond his ability to break up play. The 22-year-old is comfortable in possession, able to receive under pressure, progress the ball and link phases. He offers the blend every elite coach wants: aggression without the ball, composure with it.
Liverpool’s recruitment team have been poring over his Ligue 1 numbers from the 2025/26 season, and the data backs up the scouting: strong defensive output, but also real quality on the ball. He is not just a destroyer; he can help build attacks as well as snuff them out.
Two signings left – where do Liverpool gamble?
There is a catch. Recent reporting around Anfield suggests Liverpool will only make a maximum of two further signings this summer. With the Barcola deal set to swallow up one of those slots and a vast chunk of the budget, the room for manoeuvre is tight.
Do Liverpool push hard for Camara and accept that the forward line might be one body lighter than ideal? Or do they bank on Andoni Iraola having a full array of attacking options and trust the current midfield to carry on?
The club’s stance on midfield recruitment has already been described as firm, even stubborn, in some quarters. If that intransigence holds and Camara stays in Monaco, the question will hang over the season: did Liverpool leave hundreds of millions of future success on the table by refusing to pay for the final piece?
