Chelsea are reportedly ready to make a renewed approach to land Enzo Fernandez in the January transfer window.
According to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo on Twitter, Premier League giants Chelsea are ready to make a fresh approach to secure the services of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez in the ongoing January transfer window.
The 21-year-old has been one of the standout young players in the world this season and has made a massive leap from South American football to the European style with minimal fuss. A return of four goals and seven assists in 29 appearances for Benfica this season is an excellent return.
Fernandez’s performance at the World Cup in Qatar further enhanced his reputation and made him a household name in England. Awarded the Young Player of the Tournament award, the Argentine has attracted attention from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Blues were the ones who appeared the keenest to secure his services but saw talks with Benfica lead nowhere earlier this January. Now with days to go before the window shuts, the Stamford Bridge outfit are ready to take a late punt.
🚨Nuevo embate del Chelsea para quedarse con Enzo Fernández: manifestó estar dispuesto a pagar €100M más algún jugador a elección.
*️⃣La decisión final será de Rui Costa, presidente del Benfica.
*️⃣El jugador, por ahora, no presiona y espera que se llegue a un acuerdo amistoso. pic.twitter.com/HCl9PxKL4h— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) January 29, 2023
Chelsea are ready to splash €100 million in cash plus a player in part-exchange to see the transfer through. While the player in question is not clear yet, it leaves Benfica with a decision to make. The final decision lies with the Portuguese club’s president, Rui Costa.
Fernandez, for his part, will not push for a move and will instead wait for an agreement to be reached between the two clubs. A huge 24 hours await as Todd Boehly tries to force Benfica’s hand. The Eagles are expert negotiators themselves, and it remains to be seen if they will extract top dollar.
Signing Fernandez will add some much-needed dynamism to the Blues’ midfield. While Graham Potter’s side have received plenty of investment, injuries and a lack of cohesion have seen them struggle on the field. The midfield, in particular, has largely gone AWOL and needs fixing.
N’Golo Kante and Jorginho will not just be out of contract this summer but are also not getting any younger. With Mason Mount’s future also far from certain, a revamp is needed in the Chelsea midfield roster. Bringing in Fernandez will be a solid building block ahead of the 2023 summer transfer window.
