Benfica are growing increasingly concerned that they may be forced to sell breakout World Cup star Enzo Fernandez in January. Reports in Lisbon are suggesting that Newcastle could trigger the Argentina midfielder's £105m release clause after their initial bid was rejected.
Fernandez’s stock has risen in the past month having started the World Cup as a substitute before ending it with the award for the tournament’s best young player.
And with Eddie Howe, the Newcastle manager, already expressing an intention to invest further in his squad during the winter transfer window, the 21-year-old’s current club are appearing resigned that he is destined for a big-money move in the not too distant future.
But Fernandez, who only joined the club last summer in a bargain €10m deal from River Plate, is under contract until 2027 at Estadio da Luz meaning that the release clause will need to be activated for him to depart in the coming weeks.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola said that there is a “strong” chance of that happening after Newcastle’s initial bid of a little less than £90m was dismissed as Benfica "fear" losing their latest star sooner than expected.
A £105m move would make Fernandez the fifth most expensive player of all time and should he end up in the Premier League it would represent a record fee paid by an English club, usurping the £100m Manchester City paid to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.
Many of Europe’s top clubs are being linked with the combative box-to-box player, with A Bola naming Real Madrid, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs as clear admirers.
Last week Newcastle boss Howe said that he is hoping to bring in another “transformational” signing as they aim to secure a place in the top four.
"We would love another transfer like [Bruno Guimaraes] because I thought it was transformational for the team and for the group,” Howe said. “They are difficult players to find but that's our job to try and find them and we will endeavour to do that.
“I am not pretending to watch players, I am watching them, with a view to signing them. I am not acting that out when I am alone at home.”
Newcastle made it six wins on the bounce when demolishing Leicester 3-0 on Boxing Day and Howe said afterwards that their fans are free to dream of a title challenge.
“My attitude won't change but I've no problem with the supporters dreaming, talking and speculating about what we can achieve,” Howe said.
“We need to be mindful internally and focus on what we can control, which is our own thoughts and actions. And not look too far ahead or listen too much to news media and focus on our training and games. This is the toughest league in the world for a reason.”
