Chelsea explored a late deadline-day move for Fulham midfielder Sander Berge as a potential replacement for Enzo Fernandez, according to reports from the BBC. No formal bid was submitted by the Stamford Bridge club, with Fulham firmly establishing that the Norway international was not for sale. The inquiry came late in the summer window following Fernandez’s £125 million departure to Manchester City, which left Chelsea short of senior options in central midfield.
Failed deadline-day pursuits leave Alonso short
Chelsea actively searched for midfield reinforcements as the deadline approached. Speaking on the transfer market, journalist David Ornstein revealed that Chelsea prioritised Roma's Manu Kone and Monaco's Lamine Camara, but both pursuits collapsed late in the day. Roma's window closed early, complicating any replacement plans for the Italian side, while the deal for Camara also fell through. The failure to secure a midfielder quickly impacted head coach Xabi Alonso's squad depth. In a recent defeat to Arsenal, Alonso was forced to finish the match with right-backs Reece James and Malo Gusto playing in central midfield, with Moises Caicedo sidelined by ongoing fitness issues.
Profile mismatch and January targets
Berge, who has made 78 appearances for Fulham since his transfer from Burnley, would have offered defensive stability to Chelsea's midfield. However, his attributes as a holding midfielder contrast with the creative style of Fernandez. Chelsea also considered other Premier League options, but Everton manager David Moyes has since refuted reports that Chelsea made an approach for midfielder James Garner. Having failed to secure a defensive midfielder on deadline day, Chelsea are expected to prioritise a central midfield signing when the transfer window reopens in January, with Bournemouth's Alex Scott firmly established as a long-term target.
