3 min read
Make us your Google favourite
Chelsea are continuing to evolve under Xabi Alonso, and that process is set to continue into 2027, when the Blues will reassess their transfer policy and line up a potential €100 million signing.
The big failure for the Stamford Bridge side in the summer transfer market was failing to replace Enzo Fernandez, who left for Manchester City.
An attempt was made to sign Lamine Camara from Monaco, but the deal broke down in dramatic circumstances on Deadline Day.
There remains a gaping hole in Chelsea’s midfield to be filled beside Moises Caicedo. Romeo Lavia filled it during the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, but there remains a chronic lack of depth in this area in Alonso’s squad.
Given Camara’s stellar performances for Monaco this season, the perceived logic was that Chelsea would revisit a deal for the Senegal international in January, yet it appears the Blues now believe that they were wrong to try to sign him and are eyeing other targets, most notably Bournemouth star Alex Scott.
“I think they are looking at other targets instead and have moved on from that deal. Alex Scott, right now, is ahead of Camara on Chelsea’s list of targets for the January transfer window, that’s a deal they would like to finally get over the line,” Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke claims.
Scott has clear advantages over Camara – but are Chelsea making the right call?
Scott has certain clear advantages over Camara, not least the fact that he is a proven Premier League player.
In terms of playing style, though, the pair are very similar. Scott is a little more energetic and does tend to play box-to-box more than Camara, who operates more as a deep-lying playmaker, and one of the reasons for Chelsea focusing on the Englishman may simply be that they want to emphasise that type of profile in their squad.
Scott has also taken a tremendous leap forward in terms of his performance in recent months, according to SciSports, which gives players a SciSkill rating based on hundreds of in-game data points. For much of the early part of his career, Scott trailed Camara in terms of his ability, yet over the course of 2026, he has accelerated past the Senegal star to become a stronger player.
But in boasting these advantages, Scott comes at a price. Bournemouth are seeking upwards of €120 million (£100m) to make a sale, although there has been some suggestion that they will be willing to broker a move if a bid of €108m (£90m) arrives.
Equally, timing is likely to be important. Chelsea need an immediate reinforcement and FootballTransfers understands that Bournemouth are not willing to part with any of their star players in January.
Monaco, on the other hand, are desperate to make a sale to balance their books. This puts Camara firmly on the market and suggests they might even sell for below his €43.5m Estimated Transfer Value (ETV).
Chelsea may wish to reassess their current stance, then. Indeed, given how short they are in the middle of the park, moving for both might be the right move.
Related stories:
Cole Palmer makes Chelsea transfer stance clear
Chelsea rocked as Barcelona target blockbuster deal for €110m star
Transfer Rumours: Trent Alexander-Arnold offer coming as Arsenal hold Real Madrid talks
