Chelsea are now reportedly weighing up a move to sign a new midfielder as soon as January as they look to put the finishing touches to Enzo Maresca's squad.
Chelsea facing midfield dilemma
Chelsea's midfield has been one of the best in the Premier League this season, with Moises Caicedo beginning to justify his massive price tag 12 months on from his arrival, while Enzo Fernández has been rejuvenated in his more advanced role under Maresca.
Roméo Lavia has also emerged as a key figure, and Maresca rotates the trio based on his needs in each game, explaining last month: "Roméo Lavia and Caicedo give us physicality, strength in the middle. When we play with Enzo, it has to be Enzo and one between Moi and Roméo. When Enzo moves we struggle in the middle with physicality. In this moment, Moi and Roméo give us this".
But beyond this trio, there are concerns brewing. Both Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei have been strongly linked with exits in January, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has also seen limited action since arriving over the summer, and has been tipped to seek out first team football elsewhere.
Chelsea's midfielders in the Premier League
Moises Caicedo
Roméo Lavia
Enzo Fernández
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Cesare Casadei
Carney Chukwuemeka
This could leave the Blues light in the middle of the park with fixtures coming thick and fast, which could in turn force them back into the transfer market to find more cover for Caicedo and Lavia. Now, they have been tipped to attempt an audacious swoop next month.
Chelsea want to sign France international
That comes according to reports in Spain, which claim that the Blues are ready to offer almost £50m to sign AC Milan and France midfielder Youssouf Fofana in the January transfer window.
Fofana only arrived at San Siro over the summer, with the Rossoneri taking advantage of his contract situation at Monaco to snap him up cheaply. Since his arrival, he has been a key player for Paulo Fonseca, starting 14 of his side's 16 Serie A games.
youssouff-fofana-west-ham-premier-league
The Frenchman, dubbed a "technically brilliant" midfielder by Football Analyst Ben Mattinson on X, is still just 25 years old and now has been tipped to make a swift exit from Milan despite still having three and a half years left to run on his £88,000 a week deal.
As per the report, Chelsea "have set their sights on Fofana" and are "willing to shell out 60 million euros [£49.7m] to secure the Frenchman's services", a fee that would treble Milan's initial investment.
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It is added that though Fofana has just arrived, "the 60 million on the table could be enough for Milan to agree to negotiate" for his services, with the club also believed to be fielding interest for fellow midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who is also enjoying a fine season in red and black.
With midfield minutes a serious problem at Stamford Bridge, adding another big signing to the mix seems highly unlikely in January, especially one that has spent just months at his current side, with Maresca's side more likely to target defensive upgrades and perhaps a new striker before turning their attentions to midfield.
But with as many as three fringe midfielders perhaps pushing for an exit in search of first team football, they could face something of a shortage in the middle of the park.