Chelsea are still in for Lamine Camara
Chelsea have not given up on Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara. The club failed to land him in the summer and are considering another attempt in January (5) (7).
The price has gone up, and the competition has grown (7). That is the story of Chelsea's autumn window.
You sold Enzo Fernández, and the midfield void is real. Camara is the one they keep coming back to.
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But one report says Chelsea are out of the race
One report claims Chelsea have already withdrawn from the Camara race, with Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Brighton preparing January bids. Monaco want around £59m (4).
So the two stories do not agree. Either Chelsea are still pushing, or they have walked away. No fee has been agreed either way.
Leeds will not sell Ethan Ampadu
Leeds United have decided Ethan Ampadu is not for sale, despite the Chelsea links (6) (9).
He is under contract until 2030 and Leeds want to build the team around him (6). That door is shut for now, which leaves the midfield problem unsolved.
Estevao is not going to Barcelona
Sources say the Estevao to Barcelona talk is premature and Chelsea remain committed to the winger (1).
It is worth remembering every time the Spanish press gets excited. Nothing has changed.
The other names on the list
Chelsea are watching Bournemouth's Alex Scott as a midfield fallback if the Camara talks collapse, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham also interested (2).
Barcelona's Fermin Lopez is another name being tracked, as Manchester United prepare a bid of more than €100m (3). Feyenoord's Gjivai Zechiël is on the winter watchlist too, alongside Arsenal (11).
One target who said no: Real Madrid's Raul Asencio had no interest in a move to Chelsea or Liverpool in the summer, according to Marca (10).
12 days to reset before Bournemouth
Chelsea do not play again until Bournemouth at home on Saturday, October 10 (8). Xabi Alonso has 12 days with the squad during the international break (8).
After a Brentford 0–3 and that form line of W W L D L, the break arrives at the right time (8).
You sit 10th on 7 points from 5 games, with a goal difference of -2.
Fan reactions
The mood on the Chelsea corner of Reddit is a call for calm. One popular post urges Blues to stop doomscrolling, arguing that a lot of the current noise is newspaper speculation rather than anything concrete from the club.
