Frank Lampard got to manage Enzo Fernandez for a couple of months after becoming Chelsea’s caretaker boss towards the end of the 2022/23 season.
It was not a long time, but Lampard was convinced about Fernandez‘s qualities. As time went on, not everyone was on the same page as the 46-year-old.
At one point, even Enzo Maresca looked like he had doubts about the midfielder, dropping him earlier this season.
However, neither Chelsea nor Maresca gave up on Fernandez, and they are now reaping the rewards as a result.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
What Frank Lampard predicted about Enzo Fernandez
Last season, Fernandez came in for a lot of criticism. For many, he was just not doing enough as a £100m midfielder.
When Rangers legend Ally McCoist discussed Fernandez and Moises Caicedo while watching the duo in one match, he said: “I’m a little bit disappointed in Fernandez and Caicedo in the middle of the park for Chelsea. I definitely think you’re looking for a little bit more for your quarter of a billion.”
Before that, Lampard had tipped Fernandez to be central to any future success at Chelsea. In one press conference during the 2022/23 campaign, which was relayed by Chelsea’s official website, he said: “I’ve got a lot of faith that Enzo will be a big part of what happens here in the future of the club.
“So I feel for him a little bit that he has come in at this time, but I don’t feel for him that much because he’s had a massive move to the Premier League, he’s won the World Cup. He should be sitting back at the end of this season quite rightly putting his feet up and saying: ‘what a year’. But in terms of how he can affect the future, I think he’ll be central to the future.”
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While Fernandez and Chelsea struggled as a whole that season, Lampard always believed that Fernandez would become a key player for the Blues and could be part of further success at Stamford Bridge.
Fast forward to now, and Fernandez has become just that after a tricky start to life under Maresca.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Frank Lampard gets Enzo Fernandez prediction right as Real Madrid circle
Fernandez has been one of Chelsea’s top performers this season and is probably going to help them win the Conference League, scoring a big goal against Copenhagen in the previous round.
In total, the 24-year-old has made 27 appearances in the Premier League, scoring four goals and providing five assists, which is really not a bad return for a midfielder.
Ultimately, Fernandez has proven his former manager right. He has turned things around in west London and could help Maresca’s side to the Conference League trophy and a top-four finish. Lampard will be delighted.
Real Madrid are interested in signing Fernandez, but with the World Cup winner finally starting to deliver, there is no way that the Blues are going to sell him this summer.