Enzo Fernandez has the potential to become a John Terry-type leader for Chelsea following his latest strike for the Club World Cup winners, an ex-Blues trophy winner has told exclusively Sports Mole.
The Argentina international was one of five different Chelsea players on target in Wednesday's 5-1 Champions League thrashing of Ajax, netting the hosts' third from the penalty spot past Remko Pasveer.
Fernandez's spot kick came after efforts from Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo and preceded goals from Tyrique George and Estevao, as Chelsea became the first side in Champions League history to see three teenagers score in one game.
Enzo Maresca and Todd Boehly have overseen a youth-driven revolution at Stamford Bridge, which has culminated in Club World Cup and Conference League success, but the Blues are five points off Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
However, ex-Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has insisted that young players can still boast 'old heads', and he name-checked Fernandez as a player who could eventually follow in Terry's footsteps.
Pat Nevin: 'Enzo Fernandez can become Chelsea's John Terry-type player'
Enzo Fernandez celebrates after scoring for Chelsea on October 22, 2025
“There is such a thing as an old head on young shoulders," Nevin told Sports Mole. "John Terry, he was old before he was old. He was strong-minded, and he was a leader. So you need that.
“I think Enzo Fernandez is definitely capable of becoming that player. It doesn't always work for him all the time, but personality wise."
Regarded as one of Chelsea's greatest ever players and one of the greatest central defenders in English football history, Terry won five Premier League titles and the Champions League in West London, not to mention scoring 67 goals in 717 appearances.
The ex-England international represents the second of five defenders to have captained Chelsea in the past couple of decades, joining Marcel Desailly, Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill and current skipper Reece James on that list.
However, James has been blighted by injuries over the past few years, and Nevin is also unsure whether Cole Palmer or Levi Colwill - currently sidelined with an ACL injury - have the capacity to emulate Terry in the manner that Fernandez might.
Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill's Terry-type qualities called into question
Cole Palmer of Chelsea during his side's match against Manchester United, on September 20, 2025
"The difficulty you've got is usually somebody who's central," Nevin added. "The centre-forwards don't look the right types for that. Not sure Cole Palmer's the outgoing personality to do that.
"You need somebody who's a big character, who's on the team just about every week. You want it to be Reece James, but is Reece going to be able to play every week? I don't really know.
"The hope is for Chelsea, the centre-back grows into that, becomes that. [Levi] Colwill is probably the one you're looking at. But you need to be fit and you need to be playing every week.
“The other option is to buy a more experienced player in. This is Chelsea Football Club. That ain't happening. It's just not part of the plan.”
Nevin was part of the Chelsea team that won the Second Division in the 1983-84 season, and the ex-Scotland international also explained why Fernandez's fellow scorer Estevao possesses "gallus".
Pat Nevin was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of online casino BetWright.
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