Intermediaries offered Chelsea the chance to sign 30-year-old Malian midfielder Yves Bissouma in a bargain move earlier this week.

However, according to a report by The Sun, Chelsea rejected the opportunity to sign Yves Bissouma. While the Blues were eager to bolster their first-team squad by signing a versatile midfielder in the final hours of the summer transfer window, they never considered a move for the 30-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.

Per The Sun, Bissouma would have been “happy to take a one-year deal with an option for another” if he moved to Chelsea. Additionally, the report suggests that despite inconsistency and off-field issues, “when he had his mind and heart in the right place, he was a tactical weapon”.

Yves Bissouma and his troubled Tottenham time

Yves Bissouma endured a turbulent spell after joining Tottenham Hotspur from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £25 million in July 2022. While the 30-year-old midfielder showed flashes of brilliance during his stint with the North London club, he became a peripheral figure after rubbing Thomas Frank the wrong way due to his attitude at the onset of the 2025/26 season.

The situation did not change despite two managerial changes, and the Malian international managed only 605 minutes of game time in 11 appearances in the 2025/26 season. So, it is hardly surprising that Tottenham did not renew Bissouma’s terms, and he has become a free agent after making 111 appearances for the North London club while chipping in with two goals.

A player still searching for his next move

Yves Bissouma’s situation has piqued the attention of several well-known clubs, with widespread reports linking him with Villarreal and Crystal Palace, among others. While Chelsea’s decision to reject a move for the former Tottenham midfielder is understandable, they needed a new addition to their midfield unit.

After selling Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City, the Blues have only four specialist midfielders left in the squad. These include Romeo Lavia, whose fitness remains suspect, Jordan Henderson, who has entered the twilight of his career, and Valentin Barco, who has yet to settle down in the Premier League. So, Chelsea’s top target late in the summer transfer window was Lamine Camara.

While the West London club appearred set to sign the AS Monaco midfielder, the Ligue 1 club reneged on the agreement at the eleventh-hour. So, Chelsea had no time to source an alternative, and Bissouma could have been an option worth considering, even in an out-of-window move. However, with the Malian midfielder failing to make his mark at Tottenham, the decision to rule out a move is sensible, and Xabi Alonso can use Reece James as a midfielder.