Enzo Fernandez replacements at Chelsea: Who will be a good option if he goes?
Enzo Fernandez replacements at Chelsea: Javier Pastore has blown the doors right off the Stamford Bridge boardroom. The agent’s blunt admission that Enzo Fernandez is actively trying to engineer a way out of West London before the summer window slams shut has left Chelsea reeling. No diplomatic tap-dancing here. It is a straight-up transfer demand.
Chelsea want £120 million. They will get it, too, if Manchester City or Real Madrid decide to turn their current admiring glances into concrete bids. The conversation around how to replace the Argentine isn’t some academic, far-off exercise anymore. It is an immediate, raging fire that Xabi Alonso needs to put out.
Losing him hurts. Badly. We are talking about a bloke who racked up 10 goals and four assists across 3,121 minutes of Premier League football last term. He wasn’t just recycling possession in deep areas; he was winning matches on his own. Look at that dramatic injury-time winner against West Ham on his 150th appearance. Look at the solitary, decisive strike against Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final. Stepping into those boots is a terrifyingly tall order for anyone.
The three realistic targets on the radar
1. Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong tops the wishlist. Whispers from Spain suggest Chelsea have already made the Barcelona man their primary target if Fernandez packs his bags. He is 29 now, right in his prime, and possesses that same rare ability to slice through defensive lines with a single progressive pass. He managed a single goal and five assists in 25 La Liga outings during Barca’s recent title-winning campaign, operating as a deeply disciplined anchor. The problem? Money. His wages sit well north of £400,000 a week. Throw in Chelsea’s lack of European football next season, and it looks dead in the water. Unless, of course, the sheer pulling power of Alonso changes his mind.
2. Eduardo Camavinga
Real Madrid have made Camavinga available this summer, and Chelsea have already made contact with the player’s camp, according to multiple sources, including CaughtOffside and TEAMtalk. The 23-year-old Frenchman endured a wretched 2025/26 campaign at the Bernabeu; injuries disrupted his rhythm badly enough that he missed out on a France World Cup squad place entirely. That misfortune has driven his market value down considerably, with Madrid reportedly willing to listen to offers above €60 million (around £52 million).
For a player of his pedigree, that’s a relative bargain. Camavinga carries the engine and physical presence of a natural box-to-box midfielder, and Xabi Alonso, who managed him at Madrid, knows exactly what he gets. That personal connection could prove decisive. Liverpool and Manchester United are also circling, so Chelsea can’t afford to wait around on this one.
Read: Chelsea have found the ‘perfect’ replacement for Cucurella in 28-year-old La Liga star
3. Alex Scott
Or they could pivot completely and go for Alex Scott. The Bournemouth starlet is the wildcard choice here, valued at a cool £80 million by the South Coast club. At just 22, he was the heartbeat of a Cherries side that pushed hard for a Champions League spot, even popping up to bag the winner against Arsenal in April. Arsenal want him back. Manchester United are lurking. Chelsea cannot afford to sit on their hands if they want this kid. He is younger than De Jong, won’t demand astronomical wages, and does not carry the same worrying medical history. He is already playing out of his skin in the toughest league in the world.
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