- 2 hours ago
Chelsea to reignite summer transfers for wonderkid duo in midfield revamp
Suraj Radia
- 6 Feb 2025 13:10 CST
- 3 min read
Chelsea’s midfield could be revamped in the summer, with two failed January transfers still believed to be on the agenda alongside a return for one of their impressive loanees.
The Blues had an uncharacteristically quiet January window, with the deadline day capture of young midfielder Mathis Amougou the only purchase to be made despite numerous efforts.
Amougou is not expected to be an instant feature in Chelsea’s midfield but he could form part of a new-look young contingent in the summer, with Enzo Maresca expected to continue adding talent in the middle of the park.
READ MORE: Chelsea’s 10 most expensive transfers of all time
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea retain an interest in both Dario Essugo and Nico O’Reilly, both of whom they attempted to sign in January, and the duo remain on the club’s radar for the summer.
Sporting midfielder Essugo is currently on loan at La Liga side Las Palmas where he has impressed in their midfield, however he was unable to move to Stamford Bridge having already been registered for two clubs this season.
O’Reilly, meanwhile, is highly-rated by Manchester City and they wanted to insert a buy-back clause in any sale in order to avoid a repeat of Cole Palmer’s exit, which led to negotiations breaking down.
Chelsea midfield faces summer reshuffle
Chelsea are also expected to give a more prominent role to Andrey Santos after he continued to star for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, where has been on loan for the past year.
The Brazilian joined Chelsea in January 2023 and initially struggled to find his feet on loan at Nottingham Forest, which saw him move to BlueCo affiliate Strasbourg where he has since become an integral player.
The 20-year-old has scored seven times from midfield in 19 games and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Santos will become a ‘key player’ for Maresca next season, with Chelsea already planning for his future at the club.
STATS
Andrey Santos
M, DM (C)
Strasbourg
Andrey Santos
M, DM (C)
Strasbourg
With the additions of Santos and Amougou, along with potential moves for O’Reilly or Essugo, Chelsea could find themselves overloaded with midfielders, leading to some needing to be sold.
Carney Chukwuemeka, who left to Dortmund on loan in January, will be allowed to leave permanently, while the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Lesley Ugochukwu could also depart for the right price.
