Aston Villa, Tottenham and Newcastle are in the race to sign Lamine Camara, the 22-year-old AS Monaco midfielder and Senegal international. According to Media Foot, the three English teams are willing to invest heavily to secure the player this summer, in a deal that promises to be one of the most sought after until the market closes.
Camara arrived at Monaco from Metz in July 2024 for 15 million euros and, since then, has gained value with 71 appearances for the Principality team. Recent reports (May 2026) point to a valuation of between 40 and 50 million euros, although Monaco maintained a higher bar, between 65 and 75 million. A rumor even circulated about a competing proposal worth around 85 million.
After a disappointing season, which will place Monaco in the UEFA Conference League, the club is preparing an extensive sale of assets, which could give interested parties negotiating room — even though the race remains competitive and expensive. Newcastle has been following the player closely with several trips to France throughout 2026 and the conviction is growing, in some circles, that the midfielder could head to St. James' Park. Still, Liverpool is also included in the dossier, which expands the range of candidates.
In terms of the player, Camara would welcome a move to Tottenham or Aston Villa. In the case of the Villains, guaranteed presence in the Champions League weighs heavily on the decision of an athlete with European ambitions. And there is financial muscle: Villa's structure is prepared to provide Unai Emery with a budget of up to 100 million pounds to reinforce the squad with a view to a new foray into European competition next season.
It remains to be seen whether Camara is, in fact, a priority need for Emery. Villa's midfield has Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara as references, with Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley as accredited alternatives. Douglas Luiz returned on loan, but did not find his best level again (only 12 starts in the Premier League), and his future must go through another stop — a scenario that opens up a real vacancy in the sector.
Profiled as a midfielder with a wide range, defensively responsible and capable of playing as a '6' or '8', Camara fits what Emery is looking for at the heart of the team. Celta de Vigo’s Ilaix Moriba is also being followed for the same position, but Camara appears as an option with a higher competitive ceiling. Letting the Senegalese escape and opting for cheaper solutions may be pragmatic, but it risks proving short for a club that wants to assert itself at the highest level. For Aston Villa, this summer is about consolidating and raising the bar — and Camara could be a central part of that plan.