AS Monaco midfielder Denis Zakaria believes Lamine Camara missing out on a Chelsea move will work in his favour.
Denis Zakaria has told teammate Lamine Camara that missing out on a late move to Chelsea could ultimately prove beneficial for the Senegal international.
The endorsement comes after Camara missed out on a late £47 million Chelsea move on transfer deadline day, when the Premier League club verbally agreed a deal before Monaco pulled the plug. Chelsea were left furious by the decision.
Despite the disappointment, Camara has quickly moved on and played an important role in Monaco’s excellent start. Following their 2-1 victory over Lens, which kept Filipe Luis’s side at the top of Ligue 1, his teammate Zakaria was asked about the failed transfer and offered his teammate some advice.
Zakaria on Camara’s failed Chelsea move
“Chelsea? I told him that it was good but that it is better here,” Zakaria told reporters via Sky Sports, before adding, “I know the player and the person that he is. He is very professional. I think [the failed transfer] has given him even more strength. He was incredible [against Lens].”
Zakaria knows what it is like to endure a difficult spell at Chelsea. The Switzerland international spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Stamford Bridge from Juventus, making only seven Premier League appearances during a turbulent campaign in which the club changed three managers.
His own experience has perhaps given him an insight into why remaining at Monaco could be a positive outcome for Camara. The Senegalese international later revealed that he had moved on from the disappointment.
“There was a possibility I could leave,” he told French media earlier in September, while adding, “It didn’t go through at the last minute and that’s part of football. I’ve turned the page and am focusing on the season.”
That focus appears to have benefited both the player and Monaco. The club have won four of their opening five league matches and sit two points clear of Lyon and Paris FC at the top of the table.
Missing out on Camara is hurting Chelsea
Camara’s performances have also reinforced why Chelsea wanted him in the first place. His ability to contribute from midfield has made him an important part of Filipe Luis’s side at a time when Monaco are challenging near the top of the table.
Chelsea, meanwhile, could still look back at the failed deal with frustration. Their midfield has lacked depth early in the campaign following Moises Caicedo’s limited involvement because of injury and Enzo Fernandez’s £125 million move to Manchester City on deadline day.
For now, Zakaria believes Camara is exactly where he needs to be. The failed Chelsea move may have been disappointing at the time, but it has provided the midfielder with motivation to continue developing at AS Monaco.
