Chelsea’s deadline-day pursuit of Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara ended in dramatic fashion after the Ligue 1 club performed a last-minute U-turn, pulling out of a £47.1 million (€55m) agreement just after the transfer window closed.

The Senegalese international had even been on the phone with Xabi Alonso, talking through his role on the side. Then Monaco pulled the rug from under everyone.

Just after the transfer deadline passed, Monaco told Chelsea in writing that the £47.1m deal was off. Not delayed. Not renegotiated. Dead.

It all comes down to Folarin Balogun. Monaco had been trying to sell the striker to Everton, and when that deal looked like it had collapsed earlier in the day, Monaco needed another player out the door to balance their books before their own window shut. Camara became that player. Chelsea swooped, a fee was agreed, and things moved fast.

But then Balogun’s move to Everton came back to life. Monaco managed to renegotiate the terms, and suddenly they didn’t need to sell Camara any. Rather than let two first-team players leave in one window, Monaco chose to keep their midfielder and let the Camara deal die, even after shaking hands on it with Chelsea.

To make it worse for Monaco, they couldn’t even bring in a replacement for Camara. The French transfer window had already shut for the night, so this wasn’t a swap — it was simply Monaco deciding Balogun’s exit mattered .

Chelsea aren’t hiding how they feel about it. Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol didn’t mince words, saying everything was “written, agreed, signed” and that Chelsea “don’t believe this is the way clubs should conduct business.” Camara’s own camp are said to be furious too — understandably, given how far things had gone.

The timing stings even for Chelsea. This was meant to be their direct answer to losing Enzo Fernandez, who completed his British record-equalling £125m move to Manchester City on the very same day. Instead of a smooth swap, Alonso now heads into the new season a midfielder short.

As for Camara, he’s still a Monaco player. He’s started the season well — four appearances across Ligue 1 and Champions League qualifying, one goal to his name — and for now, that’s where his story continues, whether he likes it or not.