Chelsea have placed Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson on their summer transfer list as new head coach Liam Rosenior begins planning for the club’s player recruitment. The 23-year-old England international is one of several midfielders the Blues are looking at. Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton are also getting a lot of attention from Stamford Bridge.
Reports say that Anderson could get between £80-100 million for his services after playing well for Forest since joining from Newcastle United in July 2024. The midfielder has scored one goal and set up another in 20 Premier League games this season, making him a key player in the City Ground midfield. Manchester City and Manchester United are also after the player, so Chelsea have a lot of competition for his signature.
Rosenior took over for Enzo Maresca at the beginning of January and has made it clear that he will be involved in transfer decisions at the club. He said this about the January window and planning for the future:
“The first thing I said to the guys in charge of the club was that I wanted to look at the most important players, which are the ones who are here. If you give people a chance, you usually get good surprises.”
The former head of Strasbourg said:
“Yes, it’s January, and yes, we want the club to do as well as it can in the short term. But I also think that sometimes the answers are inside the building, not outside. So I’ll talk to the guys and make a choice about that.”
Chelsea are worried about not having enough players in central midfield because Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez play almost every minute when they can. Romeo Lavia’s ongoing injury problems have made it clear that the team needs more players, and midfield is the most important position to fill this summer.
Mainoo’s Manchester United contract is up in less than 18 months, and he hasn’t played much this season, so he could be a target for the team. If United can get their own midfielder first, the 20-year-old midfielder might be available.
Crystal Palace believe Wharton is worth about £70 million, and Rosenior has reportedly told Chelsea’s sporting directors to consider signing the England international. The 21-year-old helped Palace win the FA Cup in 2025, the club’s first major trophy. Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all interested in him.
How Chelsea’s Transfer Strategy Changes With Rosenior’s Arrival
Liam Rosenior signed a contract with Chelsea that will last until 2032. He came from Strasbourg, where he helped the team finish seventh in Ligue 1 and qualify for Europe. His hiring marks a change in how Chelsea’s multi-club ownership structure works. This is the first time a manager has moved directly between BlueCo-owned teams at this level, going from sister club Strasbourg to Stamford Bridge.
The English coach has quickly made it clear that he is in charge of hiring decisions. Rosenior made it clear at Strasbourg that he didn’t want any players joining Chelsea. This is different from the way things were under Maresca, when there were reported disagreements over who had control over transfers.
Chelsea are open to making signings in January. The club are looking to add a midfielder, a defender, and an attacker if the right opportunities come up. But the focus remains on hiring for the summer, when Rosenior will have had enough time to assess his team and determine what they need.
