Chelsea could be inclined to sign a new midfielder this month, with Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo still out of action
12:00, 24 Jan 2026
N'Golo Kante of France passes the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between France and Ukraine at Parc des Princes on November 13, 2025 in Paris, France
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N'Golo Kante could be on the move this month (Image: Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
Liam Rosenior has outlined exactly what he would want from any potential new arrival this month. The Chelsea boss has his hands tied in the middle of the park, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez shouldering much of the workload.
Like Enzo Maresca, Rosenior hasn't been afraid to play Reece James in midfield to combat the problem. Andrey Santos has also enjoyed shifts in the pivot this season, but, with so many fixtures in the calendar, the Blues haven't always been afforded the luxury of resting three of their four midfielders.
Due to the absence of Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo, they have been overburdened with minutes. The former hasn't featured for Chelsea since the start of November when he was forced to come off inside the opening 10 minutes of a 2-2 draw to Qarabag.
Meanwhile, the latter, whom the Blues signed from Sporting for £18m in the summer, is yet to even make an appearance for the west Londoners this term, having been dealt numerous setbacks after undergoing surgery on his thigh.
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Eager to bolster Rosenior's options in the middle of the park, football.london understands that Chelsea are considering signing Douglas Luiz on loan for the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, would have to be recalled by Juventus before joining the Blues.
Speaking to reporters at Cobham on Friday afternoon, Rosenior revealed whether the club would move for a midfielder this month. The 41-year-old said: "Unfortunately, Dario picked up a really unfortunate injury.
"He slipped in training and he's going to be out for a while, over a month, which is a real shame because he's an outstanding player as well that I was really looking forward to working with.
Dario Essugo during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and AC Milan
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Dario Essugo is out of action for Chelsea(Image: (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images))
"Romeo's on the way back, which is great because he can say about every player outstanding. He's a very, very good player at a very high level. But in terms of my midfield options you've got Enzo [Fernandez], Moi [Caicedo], Andrey Santos, Reece James. It's not bad."
Outlining what he would want from any new arrival, Rosenior clarified: "I've been really clear on this. I don't want to bring in players that don't enhance the group or the chemistry that we're building.
"So we have to be very selective at this stage of the season. If we do bring in the right player in a certain position, they have to have a clear impact on the team."
Romeo Lavia of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 1, 2025 in London, England
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Lavia's time at Chelsea has been tormented by injuries(Image: 2025 CameraSport)
When pressed on Lavia's condition, Rosenior said: "I want him back as quickly as possible. But I want him back as quickly as possible with no more injuries. That's the difference. I don't want to force him.
"I've got a good enough squad to manage the group, I feel, and get results. But also I want Lavia to come back in a place where we know they can get game time and get repetitive games and get a flunk because he's an outstanding player."
While Luiz has emerged as a target for Chelsea, he doesn't appear to be the only midfielder currently available on the market. N'Golo Kante faces a somewhat uncertain future in the Middle East, having recently entered the final six months of his contract at Al Ittihad.
N'golo Kante of Al Ittihad in action
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N'golo Kante of Al Ittihad in action(Image: Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
This month, the Saudi Pro League outfit must weigh up whether they'd rather risk losing the 34-year-old for free or cut their losses and cash in. He's already been heavily linked with a move to Fenerbahce, who The Athletic reckon have made an approach.
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In an ideal world, Chelsea bring Kante back to west London until the end of the season. It would be a dream scenario for both parties.
The Blues would welcome an all-time great back to the club, who still has lots of quality and experience to offer, while the France international would get valuable minutes at the highest level under his belt ahead of the World Cup...