Chelsea target free agent Wijnaldum to fill Fernandez void after deadline-day chaos

Chelsea have approached free agent Georginio Wijnaldum as Xabi Alonso looks to address a midfield shortage created when Enzo Fernandez departed for Manchester City in a record £125 million deal on transfer deadline day.

The west London club were heavily active on the final day of the window, losing Fernandez while their pursuit of Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara failed to materialise. With the window now shut, Alonso has turned to the free agent market, and French outlet Foot Mercato reports that Chelsea have made contact with the 35-year-old Dutchman.

Wijnaldum has been without a club since leaving Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in the summer. The former Liverpool captain won the Premier League title with the Reds in 2020 and made 277 appearances across spells at Newcastle and Liverpool, establishing himself as one of the division’s more reliable midfielders of his era. Despite his age, he showed he remained productive last season, scoring 17 goals in 34 appearances for Al-Ettifaq before the club declined to offer him a new contract.

Alonso is said to view Wijnaldum as a credible short-term option given his familiarity with English football. So far this season, Romeo Lavia has started both Premier League matches in the centre of midfield, partnered by Reece James and Cole Palmer, while Fernandez had been left out of the squad amid the transfer speculation surrounding him.

The situation in Chelsea’s engine room has been further complicated by an injury concern over Moises Caicedo, who limped off during Sunday’s match. The Ecuadorian, signed for £115 million, is considered one of the club’s key midfield assets.

Alonso addressed the Fernandez situation after Chelsea’s 4-3 win over Brighton, striking a measured tone: “We will see. We want the best for the team. If anything that will happen or develop, we are not sure. We are preparing for all the scenarios, but I know that from Wednesday, we have a team to challenge and I want to win.”

Wijnaldum would represent Chelsea’s second signing of a former Liverpool midfielder in recent windows, following the arrival of other Anfield alumni. Whether Alonso moves quickly on the deal may depend on Caicedo’s fitness and how the squad copes with an already congested fixture schedule.