Chelsea have commenced talks for the transfer of AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.
According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, both clubs are in negotiations for the 22-year-old Senegal international, with the Principality club’s CEO Thiago Scuro leading talks.
Camara is being courted as the Blues’ replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who appears set to join Manchester City before transfer deadline in a club-record deal.
They are prepared to complete the signing of Camara for a reported £51 million over the weekend.
Speculation regarding the future of Enzo Fernandez intensified after talks resumed between Chelsea and City despite the initial deadline for the midfielder passing.
The Blues expect to receive more than £120 million for the 25-year-old Argentina international, but will only let him leave if a suitable replacement arrives.
He was left out of their squad that took on League One outfit Luton Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup, presumably because talks are advancing fast.
Former Metz man Camara is an all-action midfielder who is not exactly cut from the same cloth as Fernandez, who has thrived for his goalscoring knack in recent seasons.
The Senegalese midfielder will be an intriguing choice to replace Fernandez because he provides more defensive cover than the Argentina international, allowing him to seamlessly play in a pivot.
He combines his defensive aggression with progressive passing and creativity from deep, enabling him to be deployed as a deep-lying playmaker.
He offers a different profile to what was previously looked at by the club in Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, mostly for his defensive capability.
Liverpool have also been linked with the midfielder, but Chelsea appear to be ahead of them in their interest in the two-time African Young Player of the Year.
Crystal Palace had a bid rejected by AS Monaco earlier this summer, but negotiations with Chelsea appear to be going well.
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