Chelsea are now entering the realms of panic buying. It's a stage they didn't want to get to on deadline day, but with a deal for Edson Alvarez looking tough to complete due to Ajax's stern stance and Ibrahim Sangare also being unattainable, the latest option has emerged.
With the centre of midfield being a key area to add at least one extra body in before the end of the window, Todd Boehly has been given a massive task to find a good fit for Thomas Tuchel's squad whilst also ensuring that players aren't purchased for the sake of it.
It's a position that has ruminated due to the long-term neglect of signing new midfielders and has only come to the attention of the management due to a host of first team injuries early on in the season. Now, with hours left to make additions, Chelsea are in a race against time.
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Although they have previous links with new Juventus midfielder Dennis Zakaria, the player has a worrying injury record that might put fans off. He is the next name on the shortlist for Tuchel, with Fabrizio Romano tweeting: "Excl: Chelsea have just approached Juve for Denis Zakaria! Talks have just started as Sangare deal is off — ongoing right now. Chelsea are offering loan with buy option.
"Denis Zakaria wants Chelsea move and details of loan with buy option are being discussed with Juventus, as exclusively revealed earlier. Up to Juventus - Zakaria wants CFC and hopes the club can agree soon."
The Athletic have since reported that the midfielder is having a medical in Turin after Chelsea agreed a deal on a loan move with an option to buy, with personal terms not proving a problem.
The Swiss international only joined the Old Lady in January but is already open to a move away. Previously compared to Paul Pogba and Patrick Vieira, Zakaria has been one of the go-to Premier League targets for defensive midfielders in recent years. Both Arsenal and Chelsea have looked at the player before, with a deal bringing him to Juventus in January before his contract expired at Borussia Monchengladbach.
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