With only two days left before the transfer market closes this winter, Chelsea will eventually break the English Premier League (EPL) ‘highest transfer fee ever’. It is a firm determination to recruit Enzo Fernandez (21, Benfica) at any cost.
Reporter Fabrizio Romano, an expert in the European football transfer market, said on social network service (SNS) on the 30th (Korean time), “Chelsea has resumed direct negotiations with Benfica to sign Fernandes. They want to sign at any cost.” “We are ready to pay 120 million euros (approximately 160.5 billion won), the transfer allowance (buyout),” he said.
If Chelsea acquires Fernandez while triggering a buyout as reported, it will break the EPL ‘highest transfer fee ever’. The current number one is 117.5 million euros (approximately 157 billion won) when Manchester City recruited Jack Grealish (27) in the summer of 2021, based on the transfer market professional media’Transfermarkt’.
As much as that, it can be seen that Chelsea are betting life and death on reinforcing the midfield ahead of the winter transfer window deadline in January. In reality, N’Golo Kante (31) is still out of the line due to an injury, and recently even Denis Zakaria (26) fell. There is a limit to Jorginho (31) and Mateo Kovacic (28) to parallel the European Football Federation (UEFA) Champions League (UCL).
Fernandez is a ‘rising star’ who made a big success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and announced his true worth. In fact, he is a “rookie” who made his A-match debut in September of last year, but he played in all matches from the group stage to the final and protected the midfield. Among the Argentine players, there were only eight players, including him, who played in all matches regardless of starting or replacing.
Fernandez, who started as a central midfielder, protected the defensive line and was in charge of leading the rear build-up. He used his excellent press and ball-keeping ability to intermittently rise to high positions and supply forward passes or finish himself. He was awarded the ‘Young Player Award’, given to players under the age of 21, after helping Argentina win the title. 먹튀검증
If Chelsea succeed dramatically in signing Fernandes, they will spend more than 100 million euros (approximately 134 billion won) to bring in another player after Mihailo Mudrik (22) earlier. It will far exceed the total transfer fee of 300 million euros (approximately 401 billion won) spent during the winter transfer market.