David Ornstein has revealed the player Chelsea considered signing on deadline day if their move for Manu Kone had failed.
Speaking on The Athletic's post-transfer-window podcast, Ornstein said Fulham midfielder Sander Berge was Chelsea's fallback option after complications arose in their pursuit of the Roma midfielder. Chelsea spent the closing hours of the window searching for a replacement for Enzo Fernandez, who left for Manchester City.
Kone had looked like the more likely arrival for most of deadline day, with Chelsea's interest in the Roma midfielder tracked closely by reporters throughout the afternoon. What wasn't clear at the time was what Chelsea planned to do if that move collapsed.
Why Manu Kone's Move to Chelsea Fell Through
Ornstein explained that the obstacle wasn't Chelsea's interest, but timing on Roma's side. "They really looked like they were going for Manu Kone on the final day," he said. "But Italy's transfer window closed early. Roma would have needed a replacement."
Serie A's deadline fell before the Premier League's, meaning Roma had already lost the ability to bring in a replacement for Kone by the time Chelsea were ready to move.
Selling him late in the day would have left Roma unable to reinforce their midfield before their window closed, making the deal difficult to complete. That left Chelsea needing another option.
“There were some complications around that; they had other possibilities,” Ornstein said. “I heard names like Sander Berge.”
Before Ornstein’s comments, Chelsea’s reported options had largely been Kone and Lamine Camara, with Berge’s name not previously linked publicly to the club’s search.
How Sander Berge Became Part of Chelsea's Contingency Plan
Berge, a Norway international, joined Fulham from Burnley in August 2024 for a reported £20 million plus £5 million in add-ons. He signed a five-year contract with an option for a further year. Berge primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but can also operate further forward.
His versatility would have given Chelsea a different option from Kone or Camara and not a direct replacement for Fernandez. The club focused on Camara after talks over Kone stalled.
Camara’s move from Monaco progressed further, with a fee agreed and the midfielder completing his medical. Monaco then pulled out of the deal in the final minute of the window, leaving Chelsea without a replacement for Fernandez.
What Missing Out on Sander Berge Means for Chelsea's Midfield
Ornstein was blunt when assessing the Berge scenario. “There is no doubting that Berge is a solid Premier League player,” he said, “but as Fernandez's replacement, it is hugely underwhelming.”
He added that Chelsea supporters would likely have criticised a Berge signing instead of welcomed it, describing the missed move as “a blessing in disguise” because Berge would not have been viewed as an adequate replacement for Fernandez.
Chelsea ended deadline day without signing a midfielder, despite considering three different options within a few hours. Kone fell away because of Roma’s transfer-window timing, Berge was never pursued beyond informal interest, and Camara came closest before the deal collapsed at the very end.
Chelsea now head into the season with the same five midfield options they had before Fernandez left, leaving people inside the game “frustrated for them,” according to Ornstein.
