Chelsea is now quickly trying to sign a £51m star in the final hours of the transfer window as Xabi Alonso changes his main target.
Chelsea are now rushing to sign a £43 million-rated player to replace Enzo Fernandez as the summer transfer window nears its end. The deadline is 11pm on Tuesday, and teams are scrambling to finish their last-minute deals.
Most of Chelsea’s new signings were done before the Premier League season started. Morgan Rogers’ £117 million move from Aston Villa was agreed during the World Cup and finalized when he returned to England. Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck have brought valuable experience to the young squad, while Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix joined in late July.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also joined permanently from Aston Villa last week and made his debut in Chelsea’s 4-3 win over Brighton on Sunday.
But Chelsea’s business might not be over yet. The future of midfielder Enzo Fernandez is uncertain, with Manchester City interested in him before the deadline. Chelsea had set a £120 million asking price earlier this month, but no bids have come in. Fernandez, who signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal and has five years left on his contract, was left out of the squad for the Brighton game.
As of Monday morning, Chelsea hadn’t received an offer for Fernandez, and it’s unclear if Manchester City are willing to pay that price. If the deal goes ahead, Chelsea have found a possible replacement: Manu Kone, a midfielder from Roma and France. According to reports, Chelsea see Kone as their top choice to replace Fernandez.
Roma wants around €51-€60 million (£43-51 million) for the 25-year-old, who played at the World Cup this summer. Chelsea have started talks but nothing advanced yet. The club was also linked with Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, but neither club wants to sell.
Kone’s contract with Roma runs until June 2029. Roma preferred to sell him by July 31 due to UEFA financial rules but now seem keen to keep him. Manchester United was previously interested but have shifted focus to signing other players, like Carlos Baleba from Brighton for £70 million.
United is now mainly looking for a left-back. Players like Alejandro Balde, Jorge Salinas, and Ian Maatsen have been linked with the club. But signing Balde might be tricky, as Barcelona could include him in a swap deal with Inter Milan for left-back Federico Dimarco.