Chelsea still have options and they won't cost a penny.
Chelsea FC Training Session
Xabi Alonso still has options to add to his squad this summer (Image: Getty)
Chelsea had a terrible end to deadline day, as they waved goodbye to Enzo Fernandez - albeit for a club-record sale - and missed out on signing a replacement. Manu Kone had started the day as the most likely signing, but on the back of comments from Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the midfielder remained at the Serie A outfit.
As such, attention turned to Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, with Chelsea initially seeing an offer rejected by the French side, only for a deal to be struck late in the day. It looked as if Chelsea would sign the Senegal international, but then disaster struck, as Monaco pulled the plug on the deal altogether.
The reason was that Monaco didn’t want to sell both Folarin Balogun and Camara on deadline day, with the former looking set to join Everton. That move also fell through, leaving Chelsea furious with the way Monaco conducted their business.
While Chelsea could wait until January to bag Camara - or another midfield addition - they do have the option of going into the free agent market. As such, Express Sport have picked out three free agents Chelsea could sign to plug their midfield gap…
The best part is, there are options for Chelsea, should they want to go down this route. Yves Bissouma’s spell as a Tottenham player ended poorly, but there was a point, specifically at Brighton, where the anchorman was one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League. He might’ve turned 30, but what’s to say he can’t do a job on a short-term contract?
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David Alaba is a free agent now (Image: Getty)
Go back a few years and Ismael Bennacer was being linked with a move to Chelsea, as well as other Premier League sides, on the back of his performances with AC Milan. That move - obviously - didn’t materialise, and now the Algerian international finds himself without a club following the termination of his contract at the San Siro.
Perhaps less of a midfield option, but rather someone who can plug gaps in several positions, Chelsea could do a lot worse than offering David Alaba a short-term deal. Xabi Alonso has already targeted experience this summer, and a serial winner like Alaba might just be the perfect addition to a dressing room that still needs a bit of guidance.