€140 million or stay: Chelsea are reportedly setting a deadline for Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea would apparently only let Enzo Fernandez leave for a certain fee. Interested parties are running out of time.
According to The Athletic, the Blues have set a deadline. Any club that wants to take the Argentine away from London must submit an offer worth €140 million by Friday at 6pm.
Manchester City, in particular, are said to hold concrete interest in Fernandez. The Sky Blues are reportedly in the market for another technically gifted midfielder despite spending €135 million on Elliot Anderson. Rodri, one of the club's key players for years, could yet leave.
Rodri, the Spanish world and European champion, has been heavily linked with Barcelona after the 30-year-old surprisingly turned down Real Madrid. Fernandez would not be a like-for-like replacement, but his quality is beyond doubt. City coach Enzo Maresca knows that too after taking over as Pep Guardiola's successor in the summer, having previously spent a year and a half on Chelsea's touchline. Even so, the 25-year-old is also considered a candidate for Los Blancos.
Enzo Fernandez: how good are his numbers at Chelsea?
Fernandez moved from Benfica to Stamford Bridge in January 2023 for a reported €121 million. Since then, he has played 169 times for Chelsea, at times also wearing the captain's armband. Overall, he has been involved in 61 goals. In the season just gone, Fernandez impressed in unsettled circumstances with 16 goals and nine assists.
Off the pitch, Fernandez has also caused noise. Public comments about his future after the Champions League last-16 exit against PSG even led to a suspension for a time. Speaking to Argentine media a few days later, he stressed that he would like to live in Madrid if he were to leave London because it reminded him of Buenos Aires.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's squad is bursting at the seams. As part of a partly strange transfer offensive under the new coach Xabi Alonso, and with numerous loan players returning, more than 20 players are said to be on the Blues' blacklist, while the club have also added top-class reinforcements. Also in midfield. Alongside veteran Jordan Henderson on a free transfer, Morgan Rogers arrived from Aston Villa for €138 million in the fifth most expensive transfer in football history.
