Alonso called Mbappe for transfer advice on Kone as Chelsea's midfield hunt stalled

Xabi Alonso phoned Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid to seek a personal recommendation on Manu Kone during Chelsea’s summer pursuit of the Roma midfielder, according to a report from Foot Mercato. Mbappe, a France international alongside Kone, is said to have spoken positively about his teammate, while Alonso also approached Kone directly and was reportedly “convinced” the midfielder was the right fit for his squad.

Kone had been linked with a move to Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool before the summer transfer window closed, with Chelsea appearing the most likely destination. Despite the reported personal outreach from Alonso, no formal offer was lodged with Roma, and Kone ultimately remained at the Italian club past the deadline.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had been cited in some reports as having blocked the transfer, but he flatly denied any involvement. “Oh no, that’s a credit they’ve unfairly attributed to me,” Gasperini told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Until the Lecce match, I hadn’t heard anything about Kone; after that, there wouldn’t have been time for negotiations. And anyway, we never received an official offer.”

The failure to land a new central midfielder leaves a visible gap in Chelsea’s engine room. Enzo Fernandez departed Stamford Bridge during the window, completing a £125 million switch to Manchester City, and a late deadline-day move for Monaco’s Lamine Camara also collapsed at the final hour.

Alonso oversaw 13 arrivals in his first summer transfer window since taking charge at Stamford Bridge, with Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck, Emi Martinez, and Geovany Quenda among those brought in. The midfield position, however, remains an area the club may look to address when the next window opens.