Chelsea considered move for Portuguese midfielder before trusting current options

Chelsea explored a surprise move for Renato Sanches after their deadline-day midfield plans fell apart, but the Blues ultimately decided against signing the Portugal international.

The 29-year-old became a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain and briefly emerged as a possible solution following Enzo Fernandez’s £125m move to Manchester City.

With deals for Lamine Camara and Manu Koné failing to materialise, Chelsea looked at several experienced free agents before deciding to stick with the players already available to Xabi Alonso.

Chelsea looked at Portuguese star Renato Sanches

According to Foot Mercato, Chelsea considered Sanches because he ticked several boxes the club were looking for: top-level experience, immediate availability and no transfer fee.

However, the interest never developed into formal negotiations.

Chelsea had already explored a move for Georginio Wijnaldum before the former Liverpool midfielder joined Al-Ittihad, while Monaco’s last-minute decision to keep Camara left the Blues without the midfielder they had expected to sign.

Sanches had recently been released from the final year of his PSG contract after another difficult spell that included loans at Roma, Benfica and Panathinaikos.

The Sun reports that Chelsea seriously considered the former Bayern Munich midfielder before ultimately deciding his injury record and recent form made the deal too risky.

Blues were right not to force a deal for Sanches

Chelsea’s interest was understandable.

After losing Fernandez and missing out on Camara and Koné, Sanches offered an obvious emergency option. He has Champions League experience, can carry the ball through midfield and would have arrived without a transfer fee.

But there is also a reason he is currently without a club.

Injuries have repeatedly disrupted his career, and the explosive midfielder who won the Golden Boy award in 2016 has appeared only in flashes over the past few seasons.

Chelsea already have enough uncertainty in midfield.

Adding another player who cannot be relied upon physically could easily have created more problems than it solved.

Xabi Alonso now appears prepared to trust options such as Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Reece James and Malo Gusto until January.

That approach carries some risk, especially after Fernandez’s departure, but it is still more sensible than signing someone simply because he is available.