Ilay Camara levels up in Belgian football with transfer to Anderlecht
- Andrew Olsson
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
22-year-old wing player Ilay Camara was rewarded for a strong 2024-25 campaign with a return to one of his former clubs after Belgian side Anderlecht spent €4.5 million to bring back the Senegalese international.
Camara returns to the club after a successful spell with Standard Liège, with whom he made 36 appearances in all competitions this past season after joining on loan from Daring Brussels (formerly known as RWD Molenbeek).
The Belgian-born player joined Daring Brussels after spending over a season with the reserve team of Anderlecht, contributing 3 goals and 6 assists for Brussels as the club were relegated from the top flight Jupiler Pro League following the 2023-24 season.
Originally from the province of Antwerp, Camara finished his youth career with Anderlecht and played with the club's U-23 reserve team in the Belgian third tier during the 2022-23 season, signing his first professional contract with Anderlecht in February 2023.
But the 2024-25 season marked a breakout campaign for Camara even if the results were far from impressive for Standard Liège. Camara was a valuable utility player for the club, featuring mostly on the left side of the midfield but also contributing at the left back position.
After previously starring for Belgian youth national teams at the U-21, U-16 and U-15 levels, Camara made the decision to commit to the country of his father with a debut for the senior team of Senegal in March. With injuries to regular players like Ismail Jakobs, Camara was called up and started at left back in a 2-0 victory over Togo in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
Considering his versatility and gradual improvement in the Belgian top flight, Camara will now have a chance on a bigger stage. Anderlecht finished in fourth place on the table last season, qualifying the Brussels club to the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League.
