Chelsea have reportedly been offered a chance to sign Yves Bissouma as a free agent following Enzo Fernandez's departure to Manchester City, per SunSport. Bissouma left Tottenham this summer after his contract expired, making him available without a transfer fee.
Chelsea have been looking at midfield options following Fernandez's exit, but the club is not expected to take up the opportunity to sign the Mali international. Fernandez joined Manchester City in a £125m deal that matched Chelsea's British transfer record.
Chelsea had planned to replace him with Lamine Camara, but that move fell through on deadline day.
How Chelsea's Deadline-Day Midfield Plan Fell Apart
Chelsea had reached a written agreement with Monaco to sign the 22-year-old Camara for around £47m on a six-year contract.
However, Monaco pulled out of the agreement on deadline day as their planned deal to sell Folarin Balogun to Everton began to collapse. The Ligue 1 club then decided to keep Camara, leaving Chelsea without the midfielder they had agreed to sign.
Read More: Lamine Camara to Chelsea move collapses sparking fury inside Stamford Bridge
Balogun's proposed move to Everton then collapsed, leaving Monaco without either transfer and Chelsea without the midfielder they had intended to bring in. That left Chelsea without a direct replacement for Fernandez when the transfer window closed.
Why Chelsea Are Not Pursuing Bissouma
With the transfer window closed, free agents were among the few midfield options still available to Chelsea. Bissouma emerged as one of those options after leaving Tottenham. The 29-year-old spent four seasons at Brighton before joining Tottenham.
He made 202 Premier League appearances across the two clubs. However, his most recent campaign was disrupted by injury, with Bissouma making just 11 league appearances last season.
Reports indicate Chelsea have decided not to sign him despite his availability on a free transfer.
Former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has also been linked with Chelsea as another free-agent option, but reports suggest the Blues are not pursuing him either.
What Happens Next For Chelsea's Midfield?
Chelsea now enter the season without Fernandez and without the replacement they had agreed to sign before Monaco pulled out of the Camara deal.
The club has previously been linked with midfielders including Atletico Madrid's Pablo Barrios, Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton. None of those moves have been confirmed.
Chelsea will now have to work with their existing midfield options, although the position could be revisited when the January transfer window opens.
