Chelsea in advanced talks for £52m Manu Kone swap as Enzo Fernandez nears City exit

Chelsea are in advanced talks with AS Roma over a deadline-day swap deal that would bring French midfielder Manu Kone to Stamford Bridge for a fee in the region of €60m (£52m), according to a report from Sky Italia.

To meet Roma’s valuation and smooth negotiations, Chelsea are prepared to include 22-year-old winger Jamie Gittens in the deal, sending him to the Stadio Olimpico as part of the arrangement. The move is a direct response to the anticipated departure of Enzo Fernandez, who is reportedly edging closer to a big-money transfer to Manchester City before the window closes.

Knowing that Fernandez’s exit could materialise in the final hours of the transfer window, Chelsea’s recruitment team have moved proactively to ensure manager Xabi Alonso is not left short in central midfield. Kone, 25, has established himself as a key performer in Serie A and offers a physical, box-to-box profile — capable of breaking up play, pressing aggressively, and carrying the ball forward — that fits the profile of a natural Fernandez replacement.

For Gittens, the move to Rome represents a chance to secure regular first-team football after finding starting opportunities limited in west London. Roma had previously explored a loan deal for the ex-Borussia Dortmund winger earlier in the window, so their interest is well established.

With the deadline fast approaching, negotiations between the two clubs are said to be progressing quickly. Should Chelsea finalise Fernandez’s sale to Manchester City, the path would be cleared for Kone’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.