Will Enzo Fernandez be a Chelsea player by next season? This is a question that had faded into the background over the last few weeks. Most of the headlines had been taken over by the club’s search for a manager instead. But now that it has been confirmed that Xabi Alonso has been appointed, it looks like a lot of eyes are back on the Argentine midfielder.
Fernandez has never openly ruled out the possibility of an exit. He has always kept the door open, even naming Madrid as a city he would like to live in someday. That comes amid heavy links with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Manchester City could be a potential destination as well. Enzo Maresca looks set to replace Pep Guardiola as manager from next season, and Fernandez was one of the Italian’s favourites at Chelsea. He was the one who turned him into a box-crashing midfielder and the output since then has been world-class.
Of course, most Chelsea fans will be hoping that the club find a way to keep Fernandez. That being said, according to MaxFSport, Alonso wants committed players only and will make that clear to everyone in the squad, you do it his and the club’s way or you leave. No suggestion yet that the Blues are close to a salary agreement.
Could Chelsea be content to see Fernandez leave?
It remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached with Fernandez over a new contract or not. If it is not, then there is a good likelihood that he will be on his way out.
Also, that might be the direction these briefings are pointing us towards. Let’s not forget that Chelsea do not have a significant budget to work with, having missed out on Champions League football.
Yet, promises have been made about a summer overhaul under Alonso. So, are the club viewing Fernandez as someone who can bring in a significant transfer fee, which funds their rebuild?
Fernandez is the club’s best player on current form
Joao Pedro was named Chelsea’s best player of the season recently. But based on form and consistency, it might very well be Fernandez who deserved it more.
While Pedro has blown hot and cold, Fernandez has largely remained one of the team’s top performers. He deserves a ton of credit for not letting his performance levels drop despite all the speculation surrounding his future.
The issue for Chelsea is that both of their top players right now are being linked with moves away. Barcelona are interested in Pedro, who might also be open to an exit if reports in the media are accurate.
Chelsea do need to let go of players this summer in order to fund a rebuild. But those should not be the only quality ones they have got. The Blues have plenty of players on the fringes of the squad who do not have a first-team future. They should be moved on first before even entertaining the idea of Fernandez or Pedro leaving.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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