Kylian Mbapp tip: Chelsea miss Kone and Camara deals
Chelsea’s deadline-day midfield scramble ended without Manu Kone or Lamine Camara, even as French reports claimed kylian mbapp backed Kone to Xabi Alonso. Roma denied any formal Blues offer, Fabrizio Romano said Chelsea never closed a Kone deal, and Monaco pulled out of Camara talks after Enzo Fernandez left for Manchester City.
Key Takeaways
- Roma denied a formal Chelsea offer for Manu Kone and, per Romano, never treated the France midfielder as for sale.
- French outlet Foot Mercato reported that kylian mbapp advised Alonso on Kone before a claimed €70m (£60m) pact collapsed.
- Chelsea’s push for Monaco’s Lamine Camara also failed late, after earlier bids and a near-formalised late offer.
- Enzo Fernandez still joined Manchester City for about £125m despite Chelsea missing both midfield targets.
The window closed with Stamford Bridge short of the midfield cover that had been tied to Fernandez’s sale. For readers tracking other unresolved storylines beyond the pitch, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries hub.
What did Roma say about Chelsea’s Kone interest?
According to the BBC, Serie A side Roma denied any formal offer from Chelsea for midfielder Manu Kone. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini issued a statement blocking the idea on Monday night, even as Kone remained a clear player of interest to the Blues.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano later stressed Chelsea were never close. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said Italian media woke up to claims Kone was “one step away” or almost done, but Chelsea only called to understand the situation and never closed a deal. Roma, he said, were clear Kone was not for sale and viewed him as an absolutely crucial player.
Did kylian mbapp push Chelsea toward a Kone deal?
Metro, citing Foot Mercato, reported a different thread: Real Madrid star kylian mbapp was consulted by Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso—Alonso’s former Real Madrid player—before sanctioning interest in France teammate Kone. Mbappe allegedly gave Kone a glowing review, after which Chelsea agreed a deal worth 70m euros (£60m), above the expected asking price, and personal terms with a keen Kone.
That version says the move still collapsed when Roma blocked the exit after failing to land replacements Youssouf Fofana from AC Milan and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerd from Marseille. Those French claims sit beside Roma’s denial of a formal offer and Romano’s insistence the Blues never got close—leaving the true closeness of the talks contested.
Why did Chelsea’s Camara move collapse?
The BBC reported Chelsea had made a £38.5m offer for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara as part of plans to replace Fernandez, with talks set to continue and Monaco potentially stronger after a £40m Balogun-to-Everton agreement. By deadline day, that path also failed.
Football365 relayed talkSPORT’s Matt Jacobs: Chelsea tried twice for Camara at €45m and €50m and were rejected while Monaco felt strong over Balogun. Late drama followed—Monaco briefly sought about €55m after earlier quoting €70m—before cold feet linked to Balogun registration and cash timing. Chelsea viewed Monaco’s U-turn as deeply unprofessional after believing a six-year deal plus option was being formalised; Monaco, per that account, still believed they could get €70m and keep the player.
Despite missing Kone and Camara, Fernandez completed a City move reported at £125m. Metro noted the midfield gap may sting given Romeo Lavia’s long-term injury issues and Moises Caicedo’s recent setbacks, with Chelsea next facing Arsenal after wins over Fulham and Brighton.