Enzo Fernandez will receive €2 million from Benfica as compensation for the flawed Chelsea transfer.
According to reports, Enzo Fernandez will receive a sizable cash payment from Benfica. The sizeable payment is to atone for the failure of his January transfer to Chelsea.
After Argentina won the World Cup, the midfielder has been linked with moves away from the Estadio da Luz.
Anyone who has been following the news this month won’t be surprised that Chelsea showed serious interest in signing Fernandez.
He wants to make a big splash in the market and has a release clause worth £106 million. Although his team needed reinforcements in the middle of the field, Blues owner Todd Boehly investigated the possibility.
N’Golo Kante has been absent from Chelsea since August, and Denis Zakaria’s knee injury will keep him out until next month.
According to Record, a Portuguese news source, Benfica will pay Fernandez €2 million as “compensation” for a deal that didn’t work out. A good gift to accept as an apology.
After making five starts and scoring one goal, Fernandez was also named the World Cup’s Best Young Player.
Since the beginning of January, Chelsea has added six players. Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, and Andrey Santos. While Joao Felix is on a one-season loan from Atletico Madrid, the others have all moved in permanently to Stamford Bridge.
They are also not yet complete. Malo Gusto of Lyon is a target, though they’d prefer to keep the young defender at least through the summer.
Graham Potter
Graham Potter, the manager of Chelsea, acknowledged following Saturday’s goalless draw with Liverpool that he hasn’t had much say in the signings this month.
To BT Sport, he said: “Not just saying they are mine will do, in my opinion. Being in control of these targets and having a list of players who are “yours” is very challenging for the head coach.”
“My job, in my opinion, is to support the club, which consists of a recruitment team and ownership group, whether it be through transfers, the daily atmosphere, or winning games.”
“We’re trying to win as a club because it’s a club. I have opinions on everything, though. I’m not the type of person who makes decisions while alone in a room.”
