Chelsea Considered Sander Berge Before Midfield Search Fell Short

BBC Sport reports that Chelsea considered Fulham midfielder Sander Berge during the closing stages of the summer transfer window, but the London club did not make a formal bid. Fulham regarded the 28-year-old Norway international as not for sale, leaving Chelsea to pursue other options as the deadline approached.

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Chelsea had planned to add a central midfielder while preparing for Enzo Fernandez to move to Manchester City. Fernandez ultimately left in a £125 million transfer, according to the report, but Chelsea finished the window without bringing in a replacement. That outcome turned a late recruitment push into an unresolved issue for the squad.

The BBC says Chelsea concentrated on Monaco's Lamine Camara and Roma's Manu Kone on deadline day. Club officials believed they had reached a £47 million agreement for Camara in the final hours, only for the proposed move to collapse shortly before the deadline. Berge had been one of the alternatives examined rather than the subject of a completed offer.

Berge joined Fulham from Burnley in 2023 and has since made 78 appearances for the club. His established role at Craven Cottage helps explain Fulham's position when Chelsea explored whether a late move was possible. The report does not indicate that Fulham entered negotiations or put a valuation on the player.

Chelsea's shortage of central options was visible in Sunday's defeat by Arsenal. Manager Xabi Alonso ended the match with Reece James and Malo Gusto, both primarily right-backs, operating in central midfield. That reshuffle followed Moises Caicedo's absence from the game because of injury.

There is hope that Caicedo will recover in time for Chelsea's home fixture against Hull on Saturday, BBC Sport reports. Beyond that immediate selection question, the club is likely to make a central midfielder a priority in the January window. Bournemouth's Alex Scott is identified in the report as one of Chelsea's longer-term targets, but no January deal is presented as agreed.