Chelsea have reportedly made contact to sign Georginio Wijnaldum as a free agent, as per French journalist Santi Aouna.
After cashing-in on Andrey Santos, the Blues decided to sign Jordan Henderson. But despite allowing Enzo Fernandez to join Manchester City on deadline day, Xabi Alonso’s side couldn’t find a suitable replacement for him.
So, Chelsea currently have Moisés Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Valentin Barco and Henderson as midfield options. Although Lavia started the opening two Premier League games this season, he has had several fitness problems since joining from Southampton.
On the other hand, Essugo struggled with injury issues throughout the last campaign. Caicedo has established himself as a key starter since joining from Brighton and Hove Albion but picked up an injury vs his former club last weekend.
Chelsea tried to sign AS Roma star Manu Kone and AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara to upgrade the engine room. They came closest to securing the African’s services, but the Red and Whites eventually decided to block the move.
As the transfer window has slammed shut, Chelsea can’t buy any midfielder but can sign a free agent. Now, on X, Aouna reports that Alonso’s side have identified Wijnaldum as a serious option and have made contact ‘in the past few hours’ to sign him.
Wijnaldum is a box-to-box midfielder by trait. He enjoyed great success at Liverpool alongside Henderson under Jurgen Klopp, winning a Premier League title, a Champions League trophy and a few major cup competitions.
Wijnaldum to Chelsea
The 35-year-old was considered one of the best midfielders in the world during his time with Liverpool. But his career has derailed since his departure as a free agent.
Initially, he joined Paris Saint-Germain but struggled to continue showcasing his best before joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in 2023. He enjoyed a promising campaign last term, scoring 17 goals and registering six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions.
After leaving Al-Ettifaq, Wijnaldum is currently a free agent. He is an experienced Premier League-proven player and could be a shrewd short-term acquisition for Chelsea should they sign him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club eventually opt to add depth to the engine room by signing the former Liverpool star.
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