Chelsea Considered Late Move for Fulham Midfielder Berge but Made No Formal Offer

Chelsea considered signing Fulham midfielder Sander Berge in the final stages of the summer transfer window as preparation for a possible Enzo Fernandez move to Manchester City.

According to BBC Sport, before Fernandez completed his £125 million transfer to Manchester City, Berge was one of several midfield options considered by Chelsea. The 28-year-old Norway international has become an important member of Fulham since joining the club, making 78 appearances for the team.

Fulham's firm stance

Chelsea's interest in Berge never progressed to the stage of making a formal offer. Fulham were also firmly opposed to selling one of their most important players at such a late stage of the transfer window, making the deal extremely difficult from the beginning. Berge's physical presence, ability to protect the defense, and Premier League experience made him a reasonable transfer target for Chelsea.

However, the Blues ultimately did not submit a formal offer, and Fulham regarded Berge as unavailable for sale. Chelsea then turned their attention to other targets, including Lamine Camara and Manu Kone, but failed to sign either player before the deadline.

Midfield concerns have emerged

According to The Guardian, after Chelsea's defeat to Arsenal, the midfield had become one of the team's concerns at the start of the season, particularly with Moises Caicedo facing fitness issues and Romeo Lavia still recovering his match condition.

In hindsight, Chelsea's interest in Berge appears more understandable. He would not have been able to replace Fernandez's creativity, but he could have provided the team with greater physical presence and defensive protection in midfield.