Chelsea transfer news: Blues made 'last-gasp' effort to sign Bournemouth star

By Saikat Mandal | 02 Sep 2026 12:45

Chelsea made 'last-gasp' effort to sign 23y/o PL midfielder

Chelsea reportedly made a last-gasp effort to sign AFC Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott on transfer deadline day.

In a frantic transfer window, Premier League clubs spent £3.4bn on new signings, with Chelsea playing a major role in driving up that figure.

The Blues spent £351m on new players, second only to Manchester City, who set a new club record with £458m in spending despite generating around £300m through player sales.

Chelsea also sold players worth £451m, a new British record, including the deadline-day departure of Enzo Fernandez, who joined Manchester City for a reported £125m.

Chelsea made late effort to sign Alex Scott?

The Blues were looking to bring in a replacement for Fernandez and had been pursuing Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.

According to The Mirror, Chelsea made a last-gasp attempt to sign Scott after Bournemouth rejected an offer worth around £64m earlier this summer.

Scott joined the Cherries in 2023 and has made 91 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals.

The 23-year-old has two years remaining on his current contract, but Bournemouth were adamant that they would not sell their prized asset this summer.

Scott has also turned down a new contract at the Vitality Stadium, potentially opening the door for a move next summer, with Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United among the clubs who could be interested.

How Chelsea missed out on Lamine Camara

Chelsea eventually reached a £47.1m agreement for Camara on deadline day after having two previous bids rejected by Monaco.

The 22-year-old completed a medical in France earlier on Tuesday evening after Monaco eventually lowered their asking price.

However, Chelsea were left furious after Monaco informed them in writing that the deal for Camara would not go ahead.

Monaco's decision was influenced by Everton's proposed move for Folarin Balogun, but the United States international ultimately did not complete his move to Merseyside after a late change of heart.