Chelsea have lodged a British record bid for Enzo Fernandez which reportedly tops £105million. The player is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge but Benfica continue to drive a hard bargain, and with the Blues still hoping to pay in instalments, the fate of the deal remains out of their hands.
Much of the Chelsea’s January transfer window has focused on recruiting Fernandez, whose stock sky-rocketed after being crowned Best Young Player at the 2022 World Cup. The youngster only signed for Benfica in the summer, with his newfound stardom set to bank them a monster profit.
Throughout the window, Benfica have demanded that his £105.6m release clause be met. According to The Telegraph, Chelsea have now put together a proposal that meets the magic figure, but for accounting purposes they are still keen to spread the cost over several instalments.
Fernandez is thought to be keen on a Premier League switch but Benfica are under no obligation to accept the bid, unless his full release clause is paid up front.
READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE – Man Utd block deal, Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea
Several members of the Chelsea hierarchy including Todd Boehly, Behdad Egbhali and transfer director Paul Winstanley are believed to be all-in on getting the deal done before Tuesday’s deadline. The club are said to be optimistic that their proposal will be accepted, owing to the size of the offer and Fernandez’s outspoken desire to leave.
Chelsea have already spent an incredible amount since Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich last year, with Fernandez’s prospective move threatening to take the total beyond half a billion pounds. Mykhaylo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile are just two in a raft of new arrivals this month, giving Graham Potter one of the most expensively assembled squads in world football.
The Blues’ sophisticated transfer team take the lead in the market but Potter himself is said to have approved the move for Fernandez, having been hugely impressed with his displays at the World Cup.
The 22-year-old rose through the ranks with River Plate before heading to Benfica in a modest £8.8m deal last summer. He has only played 17 league matches since, notching one goal and five assists during his time in Portugal.
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