Sources: Chelsea could aim to replace Enzo Fernandez with “defensive midfielder” to help out Cole Palmer

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the Chelsea News

·25 May 2026

Sources: Chelsea could aim to replace Enzo Fernandez with “defensive midfielder” to help out Cole Palmer

Chelsea could sell Enzo Fernandez this summer, a move that would weaken the team but would help balance the squad.

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Our writer Simon Phillips’ superb piece on his Substack has lots of juicy details from his source about Chelsea’s summer transfer plans.

As well as looking at new defenders and an attacker, he claims that among Chelsea’s targets is “a new centre midfielder.”

“The club will look to replace Enzo Fernandez if he does go, but that could be in the form of a defensive midfielder, then pushing Cole Palmer into the more central position.”

Chelsea could solve squad balance problems with Enzo sale

We don’t hate that idea at all. The fact is that Enzo and Palmer have struggled to play in the team at the same time, and various managers have tried various imperfect solutions to get it to work. Enzo proved unable to play a double pivot with Moises Caicedo, so he has consistently been moved to the 10, with Palmer then pushed wide right.

Having Palmer central and some more midfield force behind him would be a good way of sorting an imbalanced squad as we prepare for a season without European football.