Chelsea are bracing for the departure of their vice-captain Enzo Fernandez, with the Argentine midfielder set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. The 25-year-old has failed to make any progress in contract talks with the west London club, and there is a ‘strong chance’ their final outing in front of their own fans will be against Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.
Fernandez, who joined from Benfica in January 2023 for what was then a British record £121m, has endured a turbulent campaign despite registering 15 goals and seven assists in 53 appearances in all competitions. The former World Cup winner was also suspended for two games in April by then-manager Liam Rosenior after publicly questioning his future at Chelsea and expressing a desire to live in Spain during the March international break.
The 8-2 humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 made his frustrations worse. The midfielder’s agent, Javier Pastore, confirmed in an earlier interview with The Athletic that talks had broken down:
“There have been talks about renewing his contract, yes. We started discussing it around December or January, but we couldn’t reach an agreement. As Enzo’s contract still has six years to run, we decided not to renew it because the terms weren’t right for us or for the player; given what Enzo is capable of today, he deserves much more than he’s currently earning.”
The appointment of Xabi Alonso as Chelsea’s new manager has raised hopes he could be convinced to stay, but sources close to the situation believe the Argentine’s final appearance in blue will be Sunday’s Premier League finale. He has six years left on his deal, and that will mean the Blues will be looking for a fee well in excess of his estimated transfer value of £77m.
Real Madrid Lead the Race to Sign Enzo Fernandez This Summer
Real Madrid are in the market for Fernandez, as they face up to a second straight season without a major trophy and are considering the Argentina international a priority target. Madrid president Florentino Perez is said to be a personal fan of his and keen on bringing him to the Bernabeu. Perez reportedly believes central midfield is the position Madrid have struggled the most.
But the deal is also subject to Rodri, reportedly Madrid’s top target in midfield. If the Spaniards land the Ballon d’Or winner, it would give City a chance to pounce on Fernandez themselves. Paris Saint-Germain and two clubs from the Saudi Pro League have also made enquiries about a possible summer deal.
But Chelsea are unlikely to get back the £100m-plus they paid Benfica three years ago. The next few weeks are set to be crucial with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and Fernandez’s future likely to be decided before Argentina begin their title defence.