Chelsea made approach for Sander Berge on Deadline Day

Chelsea made a Deadline Day approach for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge before eventually signing Denis Zakaria, according to reports.

The Blues signed six new players during the summer for the senior side, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana joining the west London side.

They continued their business until the final day of the transfer window, and confirmed the arrivals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona and Zakaria on loan from Juventus.

However, it has now been revealed that Chelsea also had their eyes on another player on Deadline Day as the west London side looked to finalise their squad for the season.

According to The Star, the Blues asked the Blades if they would be willing to let Berge join on a loan deal.

Belgian side Club Brugge were also keen on the Norwegian, but their valuation of the player was said to be below that of United.

The Yorkshire side soon made it clear that they would not let the 24-year-old leave on a temporary deal, even if a deal presented the opportunity for a permanent transfer.

Berge joined the Blades at the beginning of 2020, arriving as the club’s then record signing.

He made 29 appearances for the side in the Premier League over the course of one-and-a-half seasons, before they were relegated to the Championship in 2021.

The midfielder featured in two matches against Chelsea during that time, including their shock 3-0 win against the Blues towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

Zakaria was eventually the man who signed at Stamford Bridge though, arriving on loan from Juventus until the end of the season.

However, he is yet to make an appearance for his new side, having been an unused substitute against both Dinamo Zagreb and FC Salzburg.

Sander Berge has been at Sheffield United since 2020. (Alamy)

Chelsea left their search for a new midfielder until Deadline Day, even though they were linked with a move for Frenkie de Jong earlier in the window.

Ajax’s Edson Alvarez was a target for the Blues in the final hours of the market, but he has stayed at the Dutch side.

However, Graham Potter’s side are thought to be making the Mexican a priority target in the January transfer window.

They are also keen on Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, who played under Potter during the head coach’s time on the south coast.

Chelsea still hold an interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, but they are likely to face heavy competition from Liverpool for his signature.

Such links suggest that the Blues are still keen to sign a new midfielder, especially when the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante could leave the club next summer when their contracts expire.