Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has insisted that he wouldn't mind if Enzo Fernandez leaves left Stamford Bridge, claiming he has never forgiven the Argentine due to his racist antics. Fernandez has been linked with an exit away from the Blues, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reported to be amongst the interested parties.
Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea in January 2023 for a reported transfer fee of £106.8 million, on a deal valid until 2031. While the 25-year-old has largely made a positive impact at the club, he found himself embroiled in controversy following Argentina's Copa America win in the summer of 2024.
Fernandez, along with other Argentinian stars, were recorded allegedly chanting racist remarks about the origin of several players in the France national team. This led to public outrage from fans and the French Football Federation (FFF), resulting in the Argentine apologizing on Instagram.
However, amid rumors of a potential exit, Leboeuf has revealed that he has never forgiven Fernandez for the incident, telling ESPN (via METRO):
"Good luck to him because I never forgave him for what he did after the World Cup to his French friends. So I don’t mind if he leaves the club, he’s a good player but he’s not the kind of player I want to see at my club because he’s not an example."
He added:
"What he did after the World Cup, I know the players forgave him but I never forgave him. The song he sung was absolutely stupid."
Chelsea publicly announced they would not take any action against Fernandez for the aforementioned incident after he reportedly apologized to his teammates and donated to an anti-discrimination charity.
Enzo Fernandez makes his feelings clear about Chelsea future following UCL exit
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has refused to rule out the possibility of a potential exit away from the club this summer. His comments arrived after the Blues were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, following their 3-0 loss against PSG in the second leg of the Round of 16 (8-2 on aggregate).
Following the game on March 17, when asked if he could guarantee he would be a Chelsea player next season, Fernandez said (via METRO):
"I don’t know, I don’t know. There are eight games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see."
Fernandez has made 160 appearances across all competitions for the Blues to date, registering 28 goals and 29 assists.