Chelsea’s search for a fresh pair of legs to bolster their midfield has been well-documented since the January transfer window opened.
The Blues, however, have failed to bring the desired new signing for Graham Potter to rebuild his engine room and with Tuesday’s transfer window deadline looming large over the club, it could be now or never for the head coach Potter to dip into the market for reinforcements.
Benfica talent Enzo Fernandez, on the back of his terrific campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the champions Argentina, was close to making the move to Stamford Bridge before Benfica played hardball over the fee and had Chelsea pulling the plug on drawn-out negotiations.
In the final stages of the January window, here are five cheaper alternatives to Enzo Fernandes for Chelsea to sign and add that extra impetus to their midfield roster –
1. Edson Alvarez
Ajax did not show any hesitation in turning down Chelsea’s £43 million bid for the Mexican midfielder Alvarez last summer after the player had emerged on the transfer radar at the Bridge.
Chelsea could be encouraged to reignite their interest in the Eredivisie star who is also subject to strong interest from the Premier League leaders Arsenal.
2. Romeo Lavia
Another player who was courted by Chelsea last summer was the promising Southampton talent Romeo Lavia but the south coast side did not want to part ways with him ahead of the new season’s start.
The Saints are now in danger of being relegated to the Championship at the end of the season and this could turn Lavia’s head with Chelsea expected to test Southampton’s resolve in a mid-season approach for the 19-year-old defensive midfielder.
3. Alexis Mac Allister
Brighton have insisted that World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister will still be their player at the end of this month despite the likes of Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United keen on his services.
The 24-year-old’s future has attracted much speculation as of late following Argentina’s triumph in Qatar where Mac Allister was a pivotal performer for his nation whose current terms with Brighton are not due to expire until June 2025.
4. Arsen Zakharyan
Not the defensive midfield presence many Chelsea fans would hope for Potter to sign before Tuesday’s deadline but the Dinamo Moscow talent Arsen Zakharyan could be the playmaker the Blues are in dire need of.
Zakharyan has publicly admitted that he wants to sign for the west London giants who had come close to agreeing on a transfer with Dinamo last summer before sanctions imposed on Russian clubs deemed it impossible.
5. Moises Caicedo
The sought-after Brighton maestro would not come on the cheap for Chelsea but would be a cut-price alternative to Enzo Fernandez despite the competition heating up amongst England’s biggest clubs to sign the former.
Arsenal have seen a £60 million rejected by Brighton with the south coast outfit’s position asserting that the Ecuadorian midfielder is not for sale in the January window.
With the ex-Brighton boss Potter now in the Chelsea dugout, Todd Boehly could be handed a boost in his pursuit of the 21-year-old Caicedo who has demanded that his exit be sanctioned by the Brighton board.
