Chelsea are actively pursuing a midfielder, with a significant transfer deadline looming – a Friday deadline to secure offers of £120 million or more from clubs interested in Enzo Fernandez. The Argentinian international, 25 years old, has been navigating a somewhat uncertain future at Stamford Bridge since March, when he first expressed a desire to move to Real Madrid. His agent, Javier Pastore, publicly indicated that his client was underpaid and wanted to leave following a challenging season for Chelsea, which finished 10th in the Premier League and ultimately resulted in no trophy for the club. Following this departure, Fernandez joined Chelsea for a fee of £16 million, representing a significant departure from his previous contract with Benfica, where he spent 5 years. The late-bloomer left-back is now a key target for Chelsea, with Real Madrid reportedly vying for his signature, leaving Manchester City as the only known potential suitors. Manchester City, under new manager Maresca, has recently vacated the position, leaving the remaining offers as Manchester United and Lille’s Moroccan midfielder, Ayoub Bouaddi, in the running. Chelsea has set a firm deadline of 17:00 BST on Friday for any offers received, and they are expected to stand firm on their £120 million price tag, despite having signed Fernandez for £107 million from Benfica in 2023. A key point of discussion has been a conversation between new manager Xabi Alonso and Fernandez, but details of their dialogue remain undisclosed. Chelsea has emphasized its willingness to fully reintegrate Fernandez back into the squad and to allow him to continue as a vital player. Fernandez has recorded impressive statistics during his time with Chelsea last season, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in 54 appearances. He then played a crucial role in Argentina’s World Cup final, where he was sent off in a 1-0 defeat to Spain. He returned to training this week for the first time under Alonso, and the club has indicated that they are keen to fully integrate him back into the team. The club has stated that they are willing to meet Fernandez’s valuation, with the Etihad team also eyeing Lille’s Bouaddi. The deadline is a crucial moment in the transfer window, and the outcome of this negotiations will have a major impact on the club’s squad and future prospects. The 25-year-old’s performance last season was particularly noteworthy, highlighting his versatility and ability to contribute significantly to the team’s success, and it will be important to see how he performs in the coming weeks.”}
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Source: BBC Football
