Chelsea continue to assess their options ahead of the January transfer window, with the Blues stepping up their search for midfield reinforcements.

Despite sanctioning a British-record £125 million sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City, Chelsea failed to secure a midfield replacement before the deadline. Xabi Alonso’s side are now expected to continue their search ahead of the January window.

Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara appeared close to joining Chelsea in a reported £47 million deal, but Monaco withdrew from the agreement after the 11 pm deadline as they prioritised a potential sale of American forward Florian Balogun to Everton.

That move also collapsed, as Balogun failed to agree personal terms, leaving both Everton and Chelsea in limbo.

Chelsea’s continued efforts to address their midfield needs have seen interest develop in Bournemouth midfielder and recently capped England international Alex Scott.

The Blues showed significant interest over the summer and reportedly had at least two bids, worth around £60m, rejected for the star midfielder.

Alonso’s side are not the only club monitoring Scott’s situation, with reports suggesting Bournemouth could consider selling the midfielder if they receive an offer that would be too good to turn down. This would mark a significant shift in stance, given that the south coast club had previously deemed the midfielder not for sale.

New developments suggest Alonso’s side are ready to act. According to talkSPORT, Chelsea are growing increasingly confident of signing the 23-year-old.

The Cherries value the Englishman at around £100m, with the Blues reportedly preparing an offer close to that figure following fresh talks.

Scott, who is currently sidelined with a muscle injury picked up last month, is contracted to the south coast club until 2028.

Following the sales of Andrey Santos to Manchester United and Fernandez to Manchester City, Chelsea are much lighter in midfield than they were last season. Dario Essugo was also loaned to Strasbourg.

Without European football, the Blues had fewer matches in the schedule, making squad reductions understandable. The free signing of Jordan Henderson was also intended to bring valuable experience to a predominantly inexperienced group.

Current midfield options at Stamford Bridge include Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Henderson and newly recruited Valentin Barco. The Argentine joined from Strasbourg and was brought in to strengthen the squad’s depth.

An emergency option in midfield has been club captain Reece James, but he is sidelined for the rest of the year following minor knee surgery.

Both Caicedo and Lavia have recent injury histories of their own to contend with, so Chelsea will be mindful of the possibility of either player suffering further setbacks.

Scott’s Premier League experience, versatility, ball-carrying ability and technical quality could offer a different dimension to Alonso’s midfield. His ability to progress the ball could complement the qualities of the manager’s existing options.

With Chelsea still searching for midfield reinforcements and Alex Scott emerging as a potential target, January could provide Alonso with the opportunity to address one of the squad’s most pressing needs.