'What about Lamine?' – Monaco CEO reveals Chelsea’s late Camara push as Folarin Balogun’s Everton move dramatically collapses
Chelsea’s late pursuit of Camara
Monaco CEO revealed that Chelsea were persistent in their attempts to sign Senegal international Camara, despite the French club’s desire to keep the midfielder. The Blues were searching for a replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who recently joined Manchester City. Scuro explained that Chelsea was always testing and trying, repeatedly asking, "What about Lamine? What about Lamine?" throughout the final ten days of the window.
However, the situation shifted late on deadline day when Monaco’s financial strategy, which relied on selling Balogun to Everton, began to falter. Scuro admitted that around 8 p.m., the club briefly opened the door to negotiations with Chelsea for a deal reportedly worth a £47m agreement with Monaco. Scuro defended the club's stance, stating, "It’s fair to play this game. There is no problem."
Balogun's Everton U-turn explained
The collapse of Balogun’s move to Goodison Park was even more dramatic. The USMNT forward had traveled to Merseyside for a medical, but Everton raised concerns that Monaco's staff felt were unjustified. Scuro noted that Balogun had a post-midnight change of heart after the clubs finally resolved the medical dispute.
Balogun’s reasoning was clear according to Scuro: "Balogun’s allegation is that I’m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I have nothing (no health problem), so I’m not comfortable signing a long contract here."
Financial pressures and DNCG constraints
Scuro was transparent about the club's need to generate revenue, citing the strict financial landscape of French football. He noted that the strategy involved a 20% reduction in the wage bill, a target that was nearly met before the Balogun deal fell through.
The CEO also expressed regret that the failed exit scuppered a deal for Erik Lira from Cruz Azul. Because Balogun did not leave, Monaco could not free up a non-EU spot for the incoming player. "It was mandatory in the agreement that Balogun would open the foreign (Non-EU) spot; because of that, we were not able to bring Erik Lira," Scuro said.
Player mentality and the road ahead
Regarding the emotional fallout for the players, Scuro believes Camara will remain professional despite the late interest from Chelsea. He acknowledged that the player "might have got excited yesterday" by what a club like Chelsea could promise, but expressed confidence that Camara would continue to build his career in the Principality.
For Balogun, the future remains uncertain as other transfer windows across the globe remain open. Scuro mentioned that he is waiting for the player to return so they can discuss what comes next. "Today, he is a Monaco player. There is a chance that he stays. We still have other markets open, which we are having discussions about with different players, including 'Balo'."
