Liverpool fans may have been left wondering why exactly the club didn’t look at an affordable signing like Chema Andres.The Brighton midfielder played a key role in the Seagulls’ thorough “pecking” of Arsenal in a 3-0 win on Saturday.Goals from Pascal Groß and Charalampos Kostoulas sealed three points for Fabian Hurzeler’s men at the Amex Stadium.Did Liverpool make a mistake not signing Chema Andres?(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)So how did Andres get on against the Gunners:85 minutes8.3/10 rating (third-highest on the pitch from FotMob)1 goal5 passes into final third5 line-breaking passes2 interceptions7 recoveries0/2 ground duels won5/5 aerial duels wonWant more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustNot a bad display, it has to be said, against the Premier League champions.And judging by his average heatmap for the Premier League season (albeit from a small sample size), we’re looking at a footballer who’s very comfortable sitting deeper than his fellow midfielders. Seriously, check out Yasin Ayari and Groß’s heatmaps for the league campaign.Chema Andres’s heatmap for the 2026/27 Premier League season (imagery courtesy of Fotmob)Liverpool may well have set their sights on Lamine Camara(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Perhaps Liverpool hadn’t seen enough from Chema Andres at Stuttgart to justify a move this summer.Or, perhaps somewhat more realistically, they’ve already identified an ideal target of sorts elsewhere.One name that was certainly floated with some regularity on the rumour mill was that of AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara, who narrowly missed out on a move to Chelsea this summer.But that shouldn’t be the end of Premier League interest. If anything, we expect clubs to be looking at the Senegalese star next summer, if not as soon as the January transfer window. And with two years remaining on his contract by the summer of 2027, Monaco will no doubt be keen to move on the player in order to maximise his value.And in terms of what he offers? Well, what’s not to like? Camara is another holding midfielder type footballer who likes to sit inside his own half. Already this season, he’s averaging 9.2 duels won per 90 (95th percentile) and 9.2 recoveries per 90 (92nd percentile) in Ligue 1. He’s confident progressing the ball on the dribble and ranked among the league’s best midfielders in 2025/26 for expected assists (93rd percentile), chances created (89th percentile), and big chances created (91st percentile).READ MORE: 12 duels won: Liverpool scouts watched £47m powerhouse put in a masterclass in weekend winChema Andres looks a very exciting young footballer, but Liverpool may very well feel they’ve got an even more exciting option to hold out for in Monaco’s Lamine Camara.If so, fair enough. We can overlook the Reds turning the other cheek when such an affordable option like Andres was on the market.If not, we really have to question what on earth Liverpool’s recruitment team is doing at a time when the midfield balance looks incredibly off.The post Forget Chema Andres: Liverpool are holding out for a scarier midfielder – opinion appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.