Chelsea are reportedly ready to pay a club-record transfer fee in order to beat off competition from Manchester United to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in January.
Fernandez is the subject of lots of transfer interest after impressing during Argentinaโs triumphant World Cup campaign. The 21-year-old midfielder won the Young Player of the Tournament award in Qatar after playing an integral part in Argentinaโs third World Cup win.
He only joined Benfica from River Plate for ยฃ15million in June but is already being strongly linked with a move to the Premier League. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are all interested in signing him when the January transfer window opens in the New Year.
With another World Cup star, Cody Gakpo, already on the way to Liverpool, who gazumped United with a ยฃ45m offer to PSV Eindhoven, Fernandez looks set to be the next cab off the rank.
United and Liverpool have reportedly stepped up their interest by intensifying their contact with Fernandezโs agent. Benfica recently turned down a โฌ100m (ยฃ88m) bid for their prized asset and are holding out for his โฌ120m (ยฃ106m) release clause to be paid in full.
Chelsea are so keen on Fernandez that they are willing to jump to the front of the queue by paying โฌ130m (ยฃ114m), according to the Daily Record. Owner Todd Boehly has given the move the green light ahead of the window opening on January 1.
That fee would represent a club record for both Chelsea and Benfica, were it to go ahead. The Bluesโ record buy currently stands at ยฃ97.5m โ the fee they paid Inter Milan for Romelu Lukaku in August 2021. Benficaโs biggest sale was the โฌ127m they took in 2019 when Joao Felix moved to Atletico Madrid.
Benfica are understandably keen to hold onto Fernandez following his star turn at the World Cup. They are currently top of the Primeira Liga and want to keep Fernandez until the summer, at the very least. However, they are looking at Racing midfielder Carlos Alcaraz as a possible replacement. (Mirror)