Chelsea can still sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez in January. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
According to journalist Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports, Chelsea have entered into direct talks with Benfica to sign Argentina international midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
It is further revealed that the Blues are eager to pay above what the player’s release clause is to get a more preferable payment term. The Portuguese club are under no pressure to accept the offer unless the release clause is triggered.
Benfica are hell-bent on keeping the World Cup-winning midfielder till the end of this season. Chelsea may accept that and offer him a pre-contract agreement for a summer arrival.
Fernandez, who was awarded the best young player at the World Cup in Qatar, joined Benfica in the preceding summer window as well. He has been one of the stars of the world game in the last year or so.
The 21-year-old is a versatile midfield player who can either play as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder in a box-to-box role. He is an excellent passer of the ball, reads the game well defensively and does not shirk away from challenges in offensive or defensive terms.
Chelsea do lack a midfield player who is both young and has multiple attributes to his game. As a result, they have lacked spark in that department in most games this season so far.
Fernandez can offer longevity, quality on and off the ball and a well-founded experience of winning the biggest trophy in world football this year.
It would be a massive achievement for Chelsea and their owners to sign him though. The price tag, as expected, would be high and the competition from other elite clubs will also be there most probably. The fans would be happy to see this deal get over the line though as Fernandez is already a star, who can become anything in years to come.
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