Chelsea chase Manu Kone and Lamine Camara as Enzo Fernandez £120m Man City exit looms on deadline day

Chelsea are working on two midfield deals at once as they prepare for a possible last-gasp sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City. The Blues have made a move for Monaco’s Lamine Camara and remain in contact with Roma over France international Manu Kone, with the Premier League window closing at 11 PM BST on Tuesday.

Xabi Alonso’s side will only sanction Fernandez’s departure if a replacement is lined up. City have been in direct talks with Chelsea over a fee in the region of £120 million for the Argentina midfielder, who wants the move to reunite with former Blues boss Enzo Maresca.

Enzo Fernandez talks enter final hours

Chelsea set an earlier deadline for any club to meet their valuation. That date passed without a formal City bid, but negotiations restarted as the window ran down. Fernandez has been left out of recent matchday squads while the clubs work through the numbers. Personal terms with City are understood to be agreed. Whether the fee hits or exceeds £120m will decide if he leaves tonight.

The sale would free up funds and space, but Alonso wants another body in midfield before he signs off on it.

Roma manager blocks Kone exit

Manu Kone, 25, has been one of Chelsea’s preferred options. Italian reports spoke of talks around a £52 million fee and a possible loan the other way for Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens. Those discussions have not produced a deal.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini shut the door on Monday night after his side’s 4-0 win over Lecce.

“Absolutely not, it is a media thing, I know nothing about it,” Gasperini said. He added that the owners do not want to sell and that Roma have not received a formal offer.

Monaco turn down Lamine Camara bid

Chelsea have also tabled a €45 million (£38.5m) package for Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara. Monaco rejected it as too low. Talks are still open. Camara, 22, is said to be keen on Stamford Bridge, but the Ligue 1 club are under no pressure after agreeing a deal worth around £40 million to sell striker Folarin Balogun to Everton.

Camara trained with Monaco on Tuesday morning. Any improved Chelsea bid will have to come quickly.

Hours left, options still open

Chelsea have already completed a busy summer of ins and outs under Alonso. Selling Fernandez without bringing someone in would leave the midfield thin. That is why the club is running both Kone and Camara at the same time rather than waiting for one deal to collapse.

Roma want Gittens on loan as part of any Kone package, but Chelsea have previously rejected similar proposals and may not be willing to weaken the attack. A third Premier League midfielder has also been mentioned in some reports as a fallback.

Nothing is signed. Manchester City still have to meet Chelsea’s price. Roma’s coach does not want to lose Kone. Monaco want more money for Camara. Deadline day often produces late movement, but the Blues will have to raise their offer or accept that Fernandez stays if the replacements fall through.