Chelsea sold Enzo Fernández for £125m and still ended the window without a replacement in midfield. Sander Berge was one of the late options they looked at, but the move never got as far as a formal bid. Fulham also viewed the 28-year-old as not for sale.
Chelsea’s failed search
The clearest issue for Chelsea is the sequence of the summer itself. They moved on Fernández, then spent the final stages of the window exploring Berge, only to stop short of putting money on the table. BBC Sport reported that Chelsea's search ended in disappointment as they sold Fernandez for £125m without signing a replacement.
That is poor squad planning, plain and simple. A club can accept a big sale, but once the window reaches its final stretch, a replacement needs to be lined up or the exit starts to look like a gap rather than a gain.
Why Berge stayed at Fulham
Berge was not a random late name. He has made 78 appearances since arriving from Burnley in 2023, so Chelsea were looking at an established Premier League midfielder rather than a flyer. His 2026 Premier League rating of 6.29 is steady rather than spectacular, while his 2026 World Cup rating of 6.88 suggests he has shown a higher level on the international stage.
BBC Sport's report also said it was understood Berge was among the options explored by Chelsea during the final stages of the window, though they did not make a formal bid and Fulham considered him not for sale. That combination explains why the chase stalled. Fulham had a player they value, and Chelsea never crossed the line from interest into an offer.
Chelsea can still point to the size of the Fernández sale, but the deadline-day outcome is hard to defend. The club tested Berge as an answer and came away empty-handed, with the midfield still short when the window shut.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
