Five Potential Enzo Fernandez Replacements Chelsea Could Sign in January
Chelsea’s inability to find a suitable replacement for Enzo Fernández on Deadline Day could easily force the Blues to look for a marquee midfield acquisition during the upcoming January transfer window.
Perhaps the only blemish in Chelsea’s otherwise stellar summer transfer window business was the failure to replace Fernández. The Argentine completed a record-equalling move to Manchester City that contributed significantly to Chelsea bringing in an incredible $700 million (£519 million) in outgoing transfers—the most in soccer history.
Fernández’s drawn-out saga was only finalized on deadline day, leaving Chelsea very little time to replace their 2025–26 vice-captain. The Blues made an effort but ultimately were unable to secure a midfield reinforcement before the transfer window slammed shut.
Chelsea’s squad appeared thin in the middle of the pitch after Deadline Day, and those fears materialized after Xabi Alonso’s makeshift midfield was exposed in the 2–1 defeat against Arsenal. Alonso will have to make due with what’s available for now, but adding another midfielder in January could be a priority.
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Adding reinforcements in January generally comes at a premium cost, but Chelsea haven’t been hesitant to spend big in the winter—Fernández himself joined Chelsea for a record-sum during the 2023 January window.
With a glaring vacancy, here are five midfielders Chelsea could try to acquire next January to replace Fernández.
Frenkie De Jong
When fit and firing, Frenkie de Jong is one of the best central midfielders in the world. Chelsea making a move for the Dutchman might appear overly ambitious, but it might not be as unrealistic as people think.
De Jong hasn’t played a single game since the 2026 World Cup after suffering a partially torn MCL. Barcelona reportedly want him to have surgery but the midfielder has so far refused to go under the knife, opting instead for conservative treatment.
If surgery becomes unavoidable then he could miss significant time, but if the current treatment works and he returns to the pitch sooner—Mundo Deportivo suggests De Jong is targeting an October return—then Chelsea should seriously consider making a move.
Barcelona boast arguably the deepest midfield in the world. Rodri joining the Catalans makes him the obvious choice to partner Pedri, leaving De Jong without a place in the team’s strongest XI even when healthy. Furthermore, the presence of Gavi and Marc Bernal further intensifies the competition.
The Catalans have been frustrated with De Jong’s recurring injury problems, and given the amount of talent at the position, they could potentially be open to cash-in on the Dutcham. Chelsea held an interest in De Jong back in 2022, and rekindling said interest could be an ambitious yet worthy alternative to consider.
Manu Koné
Had it not been for AS Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini, it’s possible that France international Manu Koné would’ve joined Chelsea as Fernández’s replacement during the final day of the summer window.
The Blues were reportedly keen on signing the physical midfielder, with reports of an offer in the neighborhood of $70.2 million (£52 million) plus winger Jamie Gittens on loan being on the table for Koné to land at Stamford Bridge during Deadline Day. In the end, Gasperini reportedly blocked any potential Koné exit.
The 25-year-old Frenchman is an expert duel-winner that serves as a vacuum in midfield, recovering possession and covering ground in central areas while also having underrated quality on the ball. He’s press-resistant and excels at carrying the ball up the pitch. It’s easy to envision him thriving alongside Moisés Caicedo in Alonso’s double-pivot, granting Chelsea’s exciting forward line even more freedom.
Koné was unavailable on Deadline Day, but inquiring about his situation in four months time could be wise. Gasperini’s stance might soften if Roma has more time to find a replacement for the French international—or it might get even more stout if their strong start to the season continues.
Adam Wharton
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has been placed in the orbit of essentially every big Premier League team over the last two summers and even Real Madrid have been deemed a potential destination. That’s how big the hype is.
Wharton is one of the Premier League’s most progressive midfielders, a technically gifted player that is always looking to advance the ball from deep. He has every pass available to him in his locker, but perhaps more importantly, he possesses the courage to not settle for the easy outlet and, instead, constantly tries to break lines and find attackers in advantageous positions.
He’d be a brilliant compliment to the traits Caicedo offers, as his profile is more similar to that of Fernández. At 22 years old, Wharton is only scratching the surface of his full potential, and Crystal Palace might not be able to hold off suitors for a third summer in a row.
Chelsea will undoubtedly face major competition for his signature, but making a push for Wharton in January could be worth it, regardless of the fee.
Lamine Camara
Lamine Camara was all but confirmed as Fernández’s replacement at Stamford Bridge for around two hours during the twilight of Deadline Day, until AS Monaco backed out of the transfer much to Chelsea’s fury.
Monaco accepted Chelsea’s $63.7 million (£47.1 million) bid for Camara only to backtrack at the final minute when they thought they agreed to sell Folarin Balogun to Everton. There were no real winners in the failed Camara deal since Balogun ended up staying put, meaning Monaco didn’t make the sale they desperately needed, and Chelsea was left without a new midfielder.
Camara is an athletic midfielder equally capable of destroying opponent advances as he is at being a reliable option with the ball at his feet. Only days after his failed move to Chelsea, he returned to the pitch for Monaco and was all over the place in his side’s victory against Paris Saint-Germain, winning 12 duels and making eight defensive interventions.
Relationships between the clubs might be strained, but Chelsea did agree to personal terms with Camara, who was bound to arrive on a six-year deal. The Blues could try to make another push for the 22-year-old in the winter.
Alex Scott
Chelsea reportedly offered Bournemouth $86 million (£64 million) for rising star Alex Scott even before Fernández left the club earlier in the summer.
Chelsea’s pursuit was unsuccessful as Bournemouth were unwilling to let go of the midfielder, but the Blues could return with a considerably stronger offer come January. According to multiple reports, Scott is at the very top of Chelsea’s midfield shortlist to replace the Argentine.
Still only 23, Scott is the definition of a modern-day midfielder that has his fingerprints all over Bournemouth’s system. He does it all, not only an industrious defender out of possession that can do the dirty work out of possession, but also a quality distributor on the ball and a threat in the final third.
Then there’s Bournemouth, who only last year refused to truly entertain offers for star winger Antoine Semenyo only to eventually let him go in January to Manchester City. Scott could be the next player the Cherries make a massive profit on during the winter.
Like the aforementioned Wharton, Scott also has a number of admirers in England, and his transfer won’t come cheap. It will probably take him becoming the next $100 million Premier League signing, but Chelsea would be wise to spend big on a player that has world class potential.
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