Chelsea's midfield targets: The no-brainer, the all-rounder, the gamble or the wildcard?

23 Sept 2026 18:32 BST | 5 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Make us your Google favourite

Chelsea are in the market for a new midfielder after failing to replace Enzo Fernandez.

Article continues under the video

The Argentine joined Man City in a Premier League record-equalling €145 million deal on Deadline Day, with Chelsea's posturing that he wasn't for sale or that he would only be sold if an adequate replacement was signed proving to be for nought.

Of course, the circumstances in which the Blues ended up empty-handed were strange, with AS Monaco pulling the plug on a transfer for Lamine Camara at the last minute, but that's the risk you run when you leave it late.

Compared

Enzo Fernández

M, DM (C)

Man City

Enzo Fernández

M, DM (C)

Man City

VS

Lamine Camara

M, DM (C)

Monaco

Lamine Camara

M, DM (C)

Monaco

€83.3M	ETV	€29.9M
€75M - €91.7M	ETV Range	€26.9M - €32.8M
25 years old (17 Jan, 2001)	Age	22 years old (01 Jan, 2004)
Argentina	Nationality	Senegal

Moises Caicedo's return from injury should alleviate Xabi Alonso's concerns to some extent, but the fact that he was forced to play Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson against Brentford illustrates the need for at least one more high-profile midfielder.

Unsurprisingly, Chelsea have been linked with numerous potential options since the window shut, and in recent days, four names in particular have crystallised. Camara, though, no longer seems to be under serious consideration due to the now-strained relationship with Monaco.

Scott, Kone, Wharton or a wonderkid?

Chelsea's preferred target for 2027 looks to be Bournemouth star Alex Scott. The Blues already attempted to sign him this summer, but the Cherries blocked all approaches for the 23-year-old.

They tried to convince him to sign a new contract with a release clause, but that hasn't happened yet, and there is no guarantee that it will. A move in 2027 appears to be on the agenda for the midfielder.

Scott has been sensational for Bournemouth in recent seasons, including in the early stages of this campaign. There is a belief that he would be the ideal midfielder for Chelsea, which is backed up by data analytics firm SciSports.

The England starlet ranks well in terms of playing style suitability for Chelsea. In that sense, he would be a no-brainer. However, he would also be hugely expensive, with Bournemouth likely to demand north of €100 million for him after seeing the fees paid for elite midfielders this year.

The same could apply to Manu Kone, with reports in Italy suggesting this week that he has developed into a €100m midfielder under Gian Piero Gasperini at AS Roma. He has become a real all-rounder.

Kone has always had boundless energy and defensive tenacity, but he has added a previously unseen attacking drive to his game under Gasperini, which is why Roma will demand a hefty fee for him. SciSports believes that he would also be a great stylistic fit.

A third option is Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, whom Chelsea previously attempted to sign during his time at Blackburn Rovers. He has become one of the Premier League's best at Selhurst Park, so the fact that he remains on their radar isn't surprising.

Wharton is expected to be slightly cheaper than Scott and perhaps Kone - although that can't be said with any kind of certainty at this stage - but there are concerns over his tactical fit for Chelsea. SciSports concurs, with the 22-year-old getting a lower rating than the other two options.

Paying €80m-€90m for a player when you're not sure how exactly he fits into the team would be a major gamble, although you would back Alonso to figure out a way to make it work.

Finally, there's the wildcard target: Nico Guillen. Reports in Spain, and particularly in Andalusia, are adamant that Chelsea are closely tracking the Sevilla youngster after he made his senior debut on opening day of the LaLiga season.

The 18-year-old played twice for the first team before dropping back down to the reserves, where he has continued to impress so far. Guillen is a Spain U19 international and very highly rated.

Guillen reportedly has a €20m release clause, so he would be by far the most affordable option - but also the riskiest. Given his lack of top-level experience, it is highly unlikely that he would be signed as an immediate reinforcement.

He is one to keep an eye on, but it's probably fair to say that he won't be Chelsea's Fernandez replacement. Scott or Kone seem to be the most sensible choices for the job.