Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has insisted that any new January signing would have to make a “clear impact” on the team.
The Premier League club have been linked with various players during the transfer window as they move past Enzo Maresca’s era. Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet has been heavily linked to Stamford Bridge with a new midfielder and attacker are also being considered.
Chelsea are also considering hijacking Nottingham Forest’s loan of Douglas Luiz, with a view to take him on a similiar deal until the end of the season.
Rosenior wants more cover in midfield given Romeo Lavia’s ongoing fitness issues, and his need for a new central midfielder heightened this week with Dario Essugo ruled out for a number of weeks after suffering an injury in training.
Dario Essugo during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on August 08, 2025. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
“Unfortunately Dario picked up a really unfortunate injury,” Rosenior said on Friday when discussing Chelsea’s midfield.
“He slipped in training and he’s going to be out for a while, over a month, which is a real shame because he’s an outstanding player that I was really looking forward to working with.
“Romeo’s on the way back, which is great because he can say about every player outstanding. He’s a very, very good player at a very high level.
“In terms of my midfield options you’ve got Enzo [Fernandez], Moi [Moises Caicedo], Andrey Santos, Reece James. It’s not bad. I’ve been really clear on this: I don’t want to bring in players that don’t enhance the group or the chemistry that we’re building.
“So we have to be very selective at this stage of the season. If we do bring in the right player in a certain position, they have to have a clear impact on the team.”
Quizzed on when Lavia might return, he added: “I want him back as quickly as possible. But I want him back as quickly as possible with no more injuries.
“That’s the difference. I don’t want to force him. I just had a conversation about Cole [Palmer] or other people in the squad. I’ve got a good enough squad to manage the group, I feel, and get results.
“But also I want Lavia to come back in a place where we know they can get game time and get repetitive games and get a flunk because he’s an outstanding player.”
