Chelsea can still sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez in January. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
According to Portuguese outlet Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo), Chelsea and Liverpool are among the several clubs in Europe who are monitoring the progress of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez arrived at Benfica this July from the Argentine club River Plate for a fee of around £8.7m. Even though it’s been a matter of months since his arrival in Portugal, the 21-year-old’s performances have attracted the eye of several top European clubs.
The report does circulate around the story that Spanish giants Barcelona are looking to sign the Argentina international as they are looking at a long-term for Sergio Busquets. However, Chelsea and Liverpool are also mentioned.
Fernandez is a central midfielder who can operate as a lone defensive midfielder. He has made 18 appearances for Benfica so far this season, mostly as a central midfielder, scoring three and assisting two goals.
The 21-year-old is a typical South American midfielder with plenty of intensity and robustness combined with great ball-playing qualities and composure in possession.
As of now, he is destined to go to Qatar to represent Argentina in the World Cup. A strong outing there could sky-rocket his price, with the report suggesting that it is already around £43.5m.
Chelsea have a midfield revamp to do sooner rather than later. N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are in their final year of contracts at Stamford Bridge. While talks of an extension are going on with the latter (stuck on salary demands at the moment), the former’s injury record of late has not been encouraging.
They could do with reinforcements in that area, either in January or next summer for sure. Fernandez has the qualities to come and shine in the Premier League. It depends on whether manager Graham Potter fancies him, or does he have other targets in mind.
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