Chelsea are prepared to pay a club-record transfer fee to bring Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez to Stamford Bridge, according to reports.
The Blues are looking to add to their midfield over the next couple of transfer windows despite Todd Boehly spending over £200m in his first summer transfer window as owner.
Fernandez starred at the World Cup for Argentina, winning the Young Player of the Tournament award as La Albiceleste beat France in the final.
His performances in Qatar have earned him multiple suitors with Liverpool and Manchester United amongst the clubs interested in his services.
However, the Daily Record claims that Chelsea are ‘ready to smash their transfer record to sign him’ in January with ‘an offer in excess of the €127million Benfica took for the 2019 sale of Joao Felix has been proposed by Chelsea’s new owners for the Argentina international’.
That sort of fee for Fernandez would eclipse the €113m they paid to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge in 2021.
Benfica are not keen to sell Fernandez mid-season as they look to maintain their place at the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga with the club currently eight points clear at the summit.
But Chelsea ‘hope the midfielder will push the Lisbon club for an immediate move as they seek to turn around a difficult first season under Todd Boehly’s leadership’.
With most top clubs in Europe hoping England international Jude Bellingham joins them in the summer transfer window, Fernandez has been seen as a good alternative for many.
TYC Sports have claimed this week that Real Madrid, Liverpool and Man Utd are all ‘on the front row’ for Fernandez despite the latest report about Chelsea.
And former Premier League and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson reckons Fernandez would be “excellent” for Liverpool.
Robinson told Football Insider: “Fernandez would be an excellent option for Liverpool.
“He is only young and he is already performing at the highest level. He was one of the standout players at the World Cup.
“There has been many failed signings off the back of a World Cup. Fernandez is doing it every week at club level as well though.
“He has a great engine, is the right age and has shown he can perform on the big stage. It would be an amazing signing.
“We know Liverpool are after [Jude] Bellingham but they need at least two midfielders next summer. It would not surprise me if Fernandes is one of them.”
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