Chelsea reportedly encountered a setback in the final hours of the transfer window after Everton rejected a late deadline-day bid to lure versatile midfielder James Garner away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium club..
The West London club made a dramatic late move for the 25-year-old Toffees star, valuing the former Manchester United academy graduate at around £65 million.
Chelsea had identified Garner as a target to strengthen their midfield, but Everton officials quickly rejected the approach given his importance to manager David Moyes.
The Toffees made it clear that Garner remains a key part of their plans and was not available for sale on deadline day.
With the window closing rapidly, Everton were unwilling to lose a vital starter, especially given the difficulty of finding a replacement at such short notice.
In addition to Everton’s firm stance, Garner’s own position played a crucial role in ending Chelsea’s late pursuit.
The midfielder is settled and happy on Merseyside, where he has become a key figure and a fan favourite at Hill Dickinson Stadium. He was not looking to force an exit or uproot his life in North West England.
Time ultimately ran out for Chelsea to put together a deal persuasive enough to break Everton’s resolve or change Garner’s mind, leaving the Blues to concede defeat as the deadline approached.
Chelsea also missed out on Lamine Camara after agreeing a £47m deal before Monaco pulled out at the last minute.
Having parted ways with Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea are somewhat light in midfield. Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson may need to play a bigger role than initially expected.
Meanwhile, Everton also suffered some late transfer disappointment of their own due to Folarin Balogun’s refusal to go through with a move to Merseyside.