Part of Mauricio Pochettino's immediate in-tray at Chelsea will be working out ways he can get the best out of Enzo Fernandez. Having played in every game since joining the club in January he has impressed across the midfield but still the sense is that much moreis to come,
The 22-year-old has registered two assists, both classy balls behind unsuspecting Premier League defences, and has slotted into life at England seamlessly. Of players that have more than 10 matches played he ranks third for progressive passes per90, behind only Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jorginho.
He is in the top 10 for players with the most completed passes per90 and has a staggeringly large pass distance considering his freshness to the league. He is also yet to be part of a functional unit, a settled team or in his best position.
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It is easy to profile the World Cup winner as a younger model of Jorginho, able to dictate play from the base of midfield but he is better suited to a more advanced position, the type in which he is able to loft and clip balls for his forwards to run onto. The performances as a quarter-back-type player have still been strong.
It makes it even more important for Pochettino to have him in a comfortable role. Fernandez is at his best when allowed to roam in a double-pivot or work with freedom into advanced areas. Without a partner capable of doing added defensive work, Fernandez's effectiveness is slightly lost.
Specifically for Pochettino, who likes to have a defensive midfielder drop into centre-back when they split on the ball, Fernandez isn't an immediate fit for the position. He is, however, a player that Pochettino will admire due to his bravery, tenacity and skill.
When it comes to getting the best out of him, Chelsea are reportedly set to rival Liverpool and Aston Villa for a player he is familiar with, at least. Portuguese outlet, Record, write that Manuel Ugarte of Sporting CP is one of the players being considered this summer.
The 22-year-old is a physical specimen for his age and became the youngest player to play in Uruguay's top division this century when he made his Fenix debut aged 15. He has allowed Ruben Amorim's ever-impressive side to flourish with more adventurous players alongside him.
Filling in as a defensive cog and allowing others to venture further forward is one of his key roles and his ability to reover the ball in central areas has made him a true destroyer in the centre of the park. With a $60m (£52.1m) release clause he is atrracting interest from across the continent.
It is said that Villa have "taken notes" on him but the Blues could have advantage after securing deals in Portugal already this year. Todd Boehly has already made himself aquainted with the league after spending time in the summer speaking to Jorge Mendes, an agent that will oversee Ugarte's summer dealings.
Boehly has also attempted to purchase several clubs in Portugal as part of Chelsea's new multi-club group. They were locked into negotiatons in the winter for Fernandez before Behdad Eghbali made the move to push a deal across the line. This is all represents a chance for the Blues to get in for Ugarte here and offer the perfect teammate for Fernandez under Pochettino.
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