Chelsea could return with a fresh offer to sign Enzo Fernandez before the window shuts despite a move stalling earlier in the month.
According to Give Me Sport, Chelsea could return to Benfica with a new offer to sign Enzo Fernandez before the window shuts. The Blues and the Portuguese side were deep in discussions earlier, but a move collapsed due to disagreements over transfer fees.
Chelsea could create more drama in the transfer window before it shuts. The Stamford Bridge outfit are busy this month, having made several signings of young stars. New owner Todd Boehly is readily willing to spend big for the right players, which may continue to happen throughout this period.
After signing David Fofana and Benoit Badiashile at the start of the month, Chelsea also agreed on a loan deal for Joao Felix to bolster their attack. They are on the verge of signing Mykhaylo Mudryk from under Arsenal’s radar and could also make another sensational offer to bring Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez was Boehly’s top midfield target ever since the middle of December. The 21-year-old World Cup winner played a key role for Argentina and immediately attracted plenty of interest from Premier League sides. Benfica were unwilling to sell him in the middle of the season.
The Portuguese side pointed towards his huge release clause if suitors wanted to sign him. Chelsea was the only club that opened discussions and showed a willingness to pay the right amount to get the 21-year-old World Cup winner.
Yet, after prolonged discussions between the clubs, a move collapsed for Fernandez. There were suggestions that Chelsea were also willing to pay more than the release clause to be able to structure payments as per their plan. Eventually, they ended up offering less than what Benfica anticipated; hence, the Portuguese side were uninterested in doing business.
During this period, Fernandez was ready to join Chelsea and stirred his relationship with Benfica fans. Since the move collapsed, the midfielder scored in their most recent game and indicated he was ready to stay put by patting the badge and pointing towards the ground.
Now, the latest reports hint at Chelsea returning with an offer and attempt signing the midfielder before the month’s end. Benfica will retain their stance and ask Chelsea to pay up the release clause, which roughly amounts to £106 million.
The Blues certainly have the budget to execute the transfer but were hesitant to pay earlier. Now, amid their ongoing slump, Boehly might have come under pressure to make big deals materialise, and Fernandez is one of the players they remain keen on.
Whether they can make a sufficient offer to Benfica’s liking remains the question. There could be further doubts about the player’s decision, as he will have to make another U-turn to join Chelsea from this moment onwards.