Chelsea now closing in on £12m deadline day deal for “machine” midfielder

Chelsea are now closing in on a £12m deal to sign a “machine” midfielder, with the move now in the final stages, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Blues keen on a midfielder

The Blues are yet to make any additions to their squad on transfer deadline day, having endured an uncharacteristically quiet January transfer window, but they are keen to bring in a new midfielder before 11pm.

One option in defensive midfield is Sporting CP’s Dario Essugo, having held talks over a move for the 19-year-old, who has spent the current campaign on loan at La Liga side Las Palmas.

Essugo is not Enzo Maresca’s only option, however, with Graeme Bailey revealing earlier today that Saint-Étienne’s Mathis Amougou is of interest, and Romano has since provided his own update on the saga.

Taking to X this afternoon, Romano said Chelsea are now “closing in” on a deal to sign Amougou for a fee of around €15m (£12m), with the final details of the move currently being sorted. Romano has since revealed the midfielder has personally given the move the green light, with the Blues now on the verge of getting the deal over the line.

Amougou showing promising signs in France

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson recently described the central midfielder as a “ball progression machine”, having emerged as a consistent first-team player for Saint-Étienne this season, despite only turning 19 earlier this month.

The maestro has made a total of 17 appearances in Ligue 1, most recently featuring for the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Auxerre. Mattinson also gave an overview of the teenager’s abilities at the end of last month, saying: “As a forward-thinking midfielder, he’s always looking to receive the ball on the half turn and glide out of pressure up the pitch.

“Amougou likes to play quick give-and-go 1-2’s to get around the press; he’s an associative player. Off the ball he’ll make 3rd man runs and carry the ball over big spaces to eat up ground.”

Despite his age, the Ligue 1 ace is said to be “confident” in possession of the ball, while he has also received praise for his maturity, indicating he may not be far off first-team contention at Stamford Bridge.

It is unclear whether the Frenchman will be able to come in and immediately challenge for a starting spot, given the vast array of talent available to Maresca in midfield, but he certainly appears to be an exciting signing for the future.

Having now struck an agreement to sign Amougou, Chelsea will now be fully focussed on getting their push for the Premier League top four back on track when they host West Ham United at 8pm.