Chelsea transfer news: Aston Villa’s stance on £41.7m Unai Emery favourite amid ‘close’ interest from Xabi Alonso’s side

Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara has reportedly emerged as an ‘interesting candidate’ for a number of clubs including Chelsea.

The 26-year-old arrived at Villa Park on a free transfer from Marseille in the summer of 2022 and has since established himself as a first-team regular under manager Unai Emery.

Kamara has played 137 times for Villa across all competitions, though he only featured 26 times during an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign when Emery steered the club to Europa League glory.

The Frenchman has since started 14 of Villa’s 17 matches this season, helping the club put together a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and climb to 10th in the table.

Chelsea, Inter add Villa’s Kamara to transfer watchlist

According to German news outlet Fussball News, Kamara’s strong performances have not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea, Inter Milan and Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal all adding the midfielder to their watchlist.

The report adds that Chelsea and Inter, in particular, are watching Kamara closely, with the former keen to bolster their central midfield options following the club-record sale of Enzo Fernandez in the summer.

Xabi Alonso's side are believed to be on the lookout for players who combine physical presence with technical qualities and had identified Monaco’s Lamine Camara as their primary target before his deadline-day summer move collapsed.

Liverpool appear to have moved ahead of Chelsea in the pursuit of Camara ahead of January, with Kamara now viewed as an alternative target by the Blues.

Kamara’s strength in tackling, positional play, ability to break up attacks, tactical discipline and qualities in possession during the build-up phase are all said to be traits that are appreciated by interested suitors.

Kamara viewed as valuable midfield asset for Emery

However, it is understood that a possible transfer for Kamara – valued at £41.7m by transfermarkt – could prove challenging for the likes of Chelsea and Inter, as Emery considers the Frenchman as a central part of his first-team plans.

Kamara has a ‘high reputation’ at Villa and his ability to operate as a sole No.6 or in a double pivot makes him particularly valuable to Emery.

Villa are under no pressure to sell Kamara, who still has four years remaining on a contract he extended in July 2025.

As things stand, Kamara remains an ‘interesting candidate’ for the likes of Chelsea and Inter, but it remains to be seen whether they will prepare a concrete offer in the near future, while the player himself is not thought to be actively looking to leave Villa any time soon.

Perhaps the future of Emery at Villa will also strengthen the club’s chances of retaining Kamara’s services, with the Spanish boss on the verge of signing a new contract despite reported interest from Manchester United.