Benfica could leave Chelsea no choice but to pay the release clause for Enzo Fernandez as the Portuguese outfit explore ways to fend off interest in the midfielder. The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after impressing for Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar.
The Blues are expected to approach Benfica with another proposal for Fernandez before the end of the month, football.london understands. Chelsea made the youngster a priority target before the new year and they held several rounds of talks over a deal.
But, a move collapsed when Benfica stood firm on their €120million (£105m) valuation, his release clause — a figure which the west Londoners were not prepared to meet. With Graham Potter in desperate need of a new midfielder, Chelsea have reopened negotiations to sign Fernandez but Todd Boehly faces fresh dilemma.
READ MORE: Todd Boehly tipped to complete late Enzo Fernandez transfer as Benfica stance clear
According to Portuguese outlet Record, Benfica are expecting the Blues to make a late attempt to sign the Argentine and are looking for ways to fend off interest in the final days of transfer window. So much so that the report states that the Eagles have been trying to increase Fernandez's release clause by €30million (£26m) to €150million.
It's also said that Benfica president Rui Costa has pledged a payment of €2million to the midfielder if he stays at the club until the end of the season. Earlier this month, head coach Roger Schmidt said he was confident that Fernandez will stay in Portugal until at least the summer.
"We do not want to sell him, neither I nor the president," the Benfica boss said. "We know that there is a release clause and if he wants to leave and someone pays that clause, then maybe we lose the player
"There is a club that wants him, they tried to attract him, but they know that they can only have him if they pay the clause. It’s disrespectful to all of us, to Benfica, they’re driving the player crazy, they pretend they want to pay the clause and then they want to negotiate. About Enzo, this is all I’m going to say and I’m not going to answer any more questions about it."
Then, more recently, Schmidt doubled down. He added: "Yes, of course [I'm confident Enzo stays]. I think when you see Enzo playing at the moment for Benfica, I see a player who is on his top level, who is very happy to play for the club and I think there is nothing else in the mindset of the player.
"I don't expect that we lose any of our players who are playing a lot and who are in the starting XI. That's why I see very focused players and that's why I expect that he stays."
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