Chelsea are in talks to sign former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum on a free transfer, according to reports.
On deadline day, Chelsea finally approved the £125 million sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City but aimed to bring in a midfield replacement before the end of the window.
Xabi Alonso is an admirer of Martin Zubimendi but Chelsea’s approach for the Spanish midfielder was swiftly rejected by Arsenal.
Chelsea then agreed a deal with Monaco worth €55 million (£47.1m) for Lamine Camara but the Ligue 1 side cancelled their agreement with an hour to go before the deadline.
Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free.
According to FootMercato, Chelsea have now contacted Wijnaldum after he left Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq when his contract expired earlier this summer.
The 35-year-old remains without a club but has recently held talks with Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake.
Despite the summer transfer window closing on Tuesday, Premier League clubs are still allowed to sign players who are free agents.
Wijnaldum was a key part of Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp, helping the club win the Premier League and Champions League in five seasons at Anfield.
The midfielder then joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in 2021 before making the move to Saudi Arabia two years later.
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
For Al-Ettifaq last season, Wijnaldum scored 17 goals and registered seven assists in 34 appearances.
If he makes the move to Chelsea, Wijnaldum would link up with his former Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson, who joined Stamford Bridge as a free agent in August.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
