Chelsea could still move for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
The Blues looked set to bring Fernandez to the club earlier this month, with Sky Sports Italy claiming that they reached the point of sorting out the final details of a £112.5m agreement (via the Mirror), but the move then began to stall.
As per reports in Portugal, the player himself had agreed personal terms for a move to Stamford Bridge, but Benfica grew unhappy with Chelsea’s attempts to spread the cost of the deal, instead wanting to receive it all at once. (via Evening Standard)
In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Sheth has now provided an update on whether the Argentinian could still be targeted by the Blues, saying:
“Fernandez has had a few issues. He’s been dropped for a game, he’s tried to make peace with the club.
“There was a couple of social media posts of him watching the game at the stadium. He’s back in training now.
“The people I’m speaking to in Portugal who’ve got close links to Benfica, are telling me this one doesn’t feel over, simply because his head was turned so much earlier in the window.”
TIF thoughts on Fernandez to Chelsea…
Chelsea have already spent big in the January transfer window, bringing in the likes of Benoit Badiashile for £35m, and more recently Mykhaylo Mudryk for £88.5m, however central-midfield is the area that is in real need of a makeover, given that N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are now both 31-years-old.
While the recent addition of Mudryk for such a huge fee is likely to make signing Fernandez difficult this month, the fact that his head has been turned could indicate a deal is still possible at the end of the season, and he would be a fantastic addition.
Hailed as a ‘beast’ by CBS Sports’ Ives Galarcep, the 21-year-old could run the show in the engine room for years to come, particularly impressing with his passing ability, averaging 96.76 attempted balls per 90 in the past year, in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers.
While a deal for the youngster would set Chelsea back a considerable amount of money, clubs have to be prepared to pay a premium for the top players, and Fernandez is showing all the signs that he will soon be in this category.