Chelsea expressed late interest in Fulham midfielder Sander Berge as the London club sought to bolster their midfield ahead of Enzo Fernandez's sale to Manchester City.
According to BBC, the Blues had plans to sign a central midfielder in the final days of the summer transfer window as they prepared for Fernandez's departure. In the end, the club sold the Argentine for £125 million, but they failed to find a suitable replacement.
One of the options on Chelsea's radar was 28-year-old Sander Berge. The club explored the possibility of acquiring him in the closing stages of the transfer window but didn't make an official offer to Fulham.
Fulham's stance was clear: they had no intention of selling Berge.
The Norwegian midfielder has been with Fulham since 2023 after joining from Burnley. During his time at the club, he has established himself as a key player, making 78 appearances.
In the final hours of the transfer window, Chelsea shifted their focus to other targets. They attempted to negotiate a deal with Monaco for midfielder Lamin Kamara at £47 million, but the transfer fell through just moments before the deadline.
There were also reports of Chelsea's interest in Everton midfielder James Garner, but Toffees manager David Moyes denied any such proposal.
Addressing the midfield void now seems a priority for Chelsea as they look ahead to the January transfer window. Among their long-term targets remains Bournemouth's Alex Scott.
This issue was particularly evident during their match against Arsenal on Sunday. Following an injury to Moises Caicedo, manager Xabi Alonso ended the game with Reece James and Malo Gusto deployed in central midfield.
