Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has firmly shut down speculation that the club will dip into the free agent market to address their midfield shortage.
The Blues were left short-handed in the middle of the park after a summer window that did not go entirely to plan for the Stamford Bridge club.
Chelsea had a written agreement in place with AS Monaco for Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara, only for the Ligue 1 side to pull out of the deal after the 11pm deadline.
The collapse of that transfer, combined with Enzo Fernandez’s earlier move to Manchester City on deadline day, left Alonso with noticeably fewer options in central midfield.
Names such as Gini Wijnaldum, Renato Sanches, and Yves Bissouma have circulated on social media in recent days as potential free agent solutions for the Blues.
Chelsea sources were quick to distance the club from links to Wijnaldum, who has since completed a move to Al-Ittihad, and Alonso himself delivered a blunt verdict on the free agent question.
Asked directly whether Chelsea had considered entering the free agent market, Alonso replied: “No. Well, we have looked. But no.”
The Spaniard appears content to work with his current group, which includes Valentin Barco, Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, and Reece James as central midfield options, though the latter two are natural full-backs.
Moises Caicedo would ordinarily be a key part of that midfield picture, but the Ecuador international has endured an injury-disrupted start to the season.
Caicedo initially picked up a calf problem in the build-up to Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Fulham, and Alonso has acknowledged he may have rushed the player back too quickly following that setback.
The 23-year-old limped off during Chelsea’s win over Brighton at the end of last month, raising fresh concerns about the severity of the issue.
Alonso confirmed Caicedo will miss the Carabao Cup third-round tie at home to Leeds United as a precautionary measure while the club assesses his condition.
“He has a problem in his calf,” Alonso explained. “It was the same [as before]. He was cautious to stop; his feeling was not the best. We have to assess.”
Alonso is hopeful that Caicedo will be available in some capacity when Hull City visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with the midfielder taking part in training alongside the rest of the squad.
Despite the injury disruption and the disappointment of missing out on Camara, Alonso appears determined to make the best of the resources available to him this season.
The post Xabi Alonso Rules Out Free Agent Pursuit As Moises Caicedo Calf Concern Clouds Chelsea Midfield Plans appeared first on Gooner Daily.
