Five Possible Enzo Fernandez Replacements for Chelsea As Man City Links Continue
Chelsea have once again absorbed center stage as the Premier League’s leading protagonists in this summer’s transfer window.
The club have already made 11 new signings as their strategy of hoovering up prodigious youngsters has been slightly offset by the addition of several veterans to Xabi Alonso’s bloated squad. They have smashed their transfer record for the fifth time this decade with the signing of Morgan Rogers, too.
But it’s a potential outgoing which continues to write headlines. Enzo Fernández’s future has been uncertain for the past five months after he publicly flirted with Real Madrid back in March. That avenue is now closed, but a reunion with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca at Manchester City remains a possibility.
In typically dramatic fashion, the Blues have reportedly issued their Premier League rivals an ultimatum: cough up $162 million by Friday, Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. BST (12 p.m. ET, 9 a.m. PT) or miss out on the Argentinian midfielder.
Whether City will surrender to those demands is unclear, but Chelsea must now assess potential replacements for the 25-year-old. Here are five candidates to fill his shoes.
5. Martín Zubimendi
Martín Zubimendi has emerged as one of Chelsea’s possible transfer targets recently. Interest seemingly stems from manager Alonso, who worked closely with his Spanish compatriot during a previous stint as Real Sociedad B manager. Zubimendi has named Alonso as his “idol”.
However, there are several fairly obvious issues in Chelsea signing the 27-year-old.
Firstly, Arsenal are not actively looking to sell the midfielder, who only arrived last summer and was important to a Premier League title-winning campaign—even if his influence waned as the season progressed.
Secondly, Zubimendi is an entirely different player to Fernández. The 2026 World Cup winner is a defensive-minded midfielder with limited goal threat and a preference for safety-first soccer. Chelsea need a more progressive and creative option in the engine room to partner their current destroyer, Moisés Caicedo.
4. Lamine Camara
Chelsea might require a favor from a former player to sign Lamine Camara. The midfielder is currently under contract at Monaco, who have just employed ex-Blues defender Filipe Luís as their latest manager. However, they can expect no preferential treatment.
Camara has reportedly piqued their interest, while also attracting attention from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. Monaco supposedly want around $58 million for his signature.
The 22-year-old has certainly impressed in Ligue 1, even joining up with Senegal at the World Cup. He supplied three goals and four assists, dazzling with his wide passing range, defensive acumen and press resistance.
Question marks remain over his ability to operate at the elite level, but he certainly boasts the physicality and work ethic required to fit nicely into Alonso’s midfield.
3. Myles Lewis-Skelly
Chelsea have supposedly rejected the opportunity to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly from rivals Arsenal after being offered the versatile midfielder, who has played most of his first-team minutes at left back. If that’s to be believed, it comes as a surprise given Chelsea’s general transfer strategy of almost exclusively signing young talent.
There’s no doubting Lewis-Skelly’s promise and potential, not to mention an impressive portfolio aged just 19 years old, and his ability to cover two positions certainly adds to his appeal. He’s an excellent ball carrier and somebody capable of punching balls in between the lines, something Chelsea will be lacking if Fernández departs.
Lewis-Skelly, who already has six England caps to his name, is also a scrappy defender, boasting the industry and bite which Fernández also possesses.
While not an absolute like-for-like replacement, he would certainly be an exciting addition to Alonso’s roster.
2. Alex Scott
Chelsea’s interest in Alex Scott has been well documented. Their $86.5 million bid for the midfielder was rebuffed in July, with Bournemouth desperate to keep hold of him and set to reject any further offers. However, with Scott having refused to sign a new contract, the Cherries remain in an awkward position.
The sale of Fernández would certainly facilitate a move for Scott, allowing Chelsea to raise their offer and test Bournemouth’s resolve. The 22-year-old is well worth the attention he’s garnered over the past year.
An injury-free season has allowed the Englishman to showcase his burgeoning potential, with now Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola nurturing him across an incredibly successful 2025–26 campaign. Scott was the heartbeat of Bournemouth’s midfield as they qualified for the Europa League.
An all-rounder in the engine room, Scott has so many strands to his game. Fierce out of possession, classy on the ball and capable of arriving late in the penalty area, he could be a great successor to Fernández.
1. Adam Wharton
Adam Wharton has long been admired by Europe’s elite teams. Despite only arriving at Crystal Palace in Feb. 2024 from EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers, the midfielder has already won four England caps and been touted with a move to Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City.
There’s a reason why Wharton is in-demand, and Chelsea could easily pursue the 22-year-old if Fernández is sold.
England rarely produces such technically proficient midfielders, akin to those we have witnessed so regularly dominate matches for the likes of Spain and Portugal. Wharton is elegant on the ball, the perfect deep-lying playmaker capable of dictating the tempo and finding progressive passes.
It took Wharton 94 appearances to score his first Palace goal at the end of last season, but his playmaking abilities have yielded 12 assists across two-and-a-half seasons with the Eagles. He seldom surrenders the ball and has the necessary ambition to unpick deep-lying defenses.
He’s exactly the kind of player Chelsea—and plenty of other sides—so desperately need.
