‘He embodies the future of football’ – AS Monaco manager Filipe Luís raves over former Chelsea target Lamine Camara

‘He embodies the future of football’ – AS Monaco manager Filipe Luís raves over former Chelsea target Lamine Camara Whilst AS Monaco managed to keep hold of Lamine Camara (22) this summer, things could have turned out very differently for the midfielder. Hotly pursued by Chelsea, the Senegalese player ultimately saw his move to the London club fall through in the final minutes of the transfer window. A significant event, but one which Camara recently said he had “put behind him” . This is obviously no cause for complaint for his manager Filipe Luís, who holds his protégé in very high regard. Full of praise for Camara’s qualities – and even stating after a 1-0 victory at Le Havre in late August that he had “never seen anything like it in my twenty-year career” – the Brazilian believes the 22-year-old’s profile is set to dominate world football in the not-too-distant future. “In twenty years’ time, we may well see plenty of players like him,” Luís explained in an interview with L’Équipe . “He can run a marathon, play for ninety minutes without ever letting up, whilst playing football. He embodies the future of the game.” A product of the renowned Senegalese academy Génération Foot, Camara settled in France via FC Metz, a partner of the Dakar-based club, before heading further south, where he joined Monaco in 2024. On the Rock, not only did the Diouloulou-born player continue to develop, but he also established himself as one of the best midfielders in the French league. GFFN | Léo Aschi