Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly could complete a ‘mega deal’ by luring Benfica star Enzo Fernandez to Stamford Bridge, journalist Simon Phillips has told GiveMeSport.
Having been appointed as the Blues’ head coach in September, Graham Potter will be handed cash to spend during the January transfer window.
Chelsea transfer news – Enzo Fernandez
According to Portuguese media outlet Record, Chelsea have set their sights on fighting off stiff competition for Fernandez’s services and submitted a £115million bid.
The report suggests the capital club are willing to pay more than the £106million release clause written into the central midfielder’s Benfica contract as they are eager to get the deal over the line.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea are now holding direct talks with Benfica and they have been boosted in their pursuit thanks to Fernandez already making it clear that he wants to complete the switch, while fellow suitors Liverpool and Manchester United have yet to table an offer.
Respected journalist Phillips recently told GiveMeSport that the west Londoners are ‘pushing hard’ to sign the Argentina international.
But Benfica are desperate to keep Fernandez on board and have underlined their stance by putting a new contract on the table.
What has Simon Phillips said about Fernandez?
Phillips believes Chelsea will show they mean business by persuading Benfica to sanction Fernandez’s mid-season exit.
The journalist feels the Blues are willing to part with more than the South American’s release clause as it will give them more freedom with the structure of the payment.
Phillips told GiveMeSport: “It’ll be a mega deal to get Enzo Fernandez across to Chelsea.
“Chelsea and a couple of other clubs, I think, have made offers for Fernandez in the last week.
“Obviously, he’s got that buyout clause, which is €120million. Chelsea are trying to pay more than that, at the moment, in order to structure the deal how they want it to be done. It will give them more favourable terms in the deal on the payment.”
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
Would Fernandez be a good signing for Chelsea?
There is no doubt that Fernandez is comfortable in possession and capable of creating goalscoring opportunities as, according to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile for passes into the final third, through balls and progressive passes among his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year.
He also shone at the World Cup, where he played a key role in Argentina winning a third title thanks to overcoming France in the final’s penalty shoot-out.
According to WhoScored, Fernandez was his nation’s fourth-best performer in Qatar as he was handed a rating of 7.06, while he also clinched the Young Player of the Tournament award.
The 21-year-old found the back of the net during Argentina’s group stage win over Mexico, which led to teammate Lionel Messi describing him as ‘spectacular’.
With fellow midfielders Jorginho and N’Golo Kante out of contract at Stamford Bridge in the summer, Fernandez would be an exciting addition to Potter’s squad.
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