Enzo Fernandez enjoyed an impressive Chelsea debut. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
According to Portuguese outlet Record (h/t football.london), Premier League giants Chelsea have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Benfica star Enzo Fernandez in the January transfer window.
The 21-year-old impressed following his move to Benfica last summer. A string of stellar performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Argentina secured their third world crown did not go unnoticed. Fernandez was the midfield lynchpin and was awarded the Young Player of the Tournament accolade.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with the player as Todd Boehly attempts to rebuild the squad. The midfield, in particular, is in need of a revamp and the sooner that happens, the better.
Benfica were unhappy with Chelsea’s €85m offer for the player. The Portuguese giants appear to be fine with letting the player leave but only on their terms. Negotiations between both sides failed to reach an agreement as things stand.
The player has now made his move and has informed Benfica of his desire to move to Stamford Bridge. Manager Roger Schmidt has been made aware of his player’s intentions in the opening days of the 2023 January transfer window.
Fernandez’s comments come following talks between the clubs reaching an impasse. Whether the new developments can help rekindle talks is debatable.
Jorginho and N’Golo Kante are over 30 and are not getting any younger. It is imperative that the club bring in younger reinforcements to future proof their squad. More so, both aforementioned veterans are also in the final few months of their deal at Stamford Bridge.
Schmid appears keen to reintegrate Enzo back into the Benfica squad and recognizes his importance to the club. Unless Chelsea can fork out the €120m asking price, a deal appears unlikely.
No matter what we have seen from the player so far, that is a huge price tag for a player who is in the formative years of his career and is not guaranteed to be a resounding success in English football. Hence, we have to be wise with the way we use our funds in this deal and hope Fernandez convinces Benfica to lower the price tag.
Given their struggles this season, Chelsea could do with new players this month. While Fernandez alone won’t be enough, landing him would be a coup of sorts. It also will illustrate that Chelsea have the pull to still attract the world’s best players and will give the new management a solid base to build upon.
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