Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been compared to two of Real Madrid's greatest players as the Argentine maestro looks to emulate his World Cup success with European victory as well this season. The 22-year-old rose to prominence rapidly after his £10m move from South America to Benfica over the summer and hasn't looked back since.
Commanding the third largest transfer fee in history after joining the Blues for £106.7 million in the January transfer window, Fernandez has had a whirlwind ride in the past nine months but looks to have settled quickly in London already. It was important for his new team and manager that he did so, with pressure mounting on Graham Potter in the past two months.
The integration of Fernandez into the team has been one of the reasons Potter and his side have managed to turn things around in the past week. Playing as a tempo-dictator in front of defence and alongside many different partners already, his sublime lofted assist for Kai Havertz against Leicester in the 3-1 victory on Saturday was his second in the league.
READ MORE: Mykhailo Mudryk plays new Chelsea role with ease as Christian Pulisic left with cause for concern
After he clipped the ball into the box for Joao Felix to score against West Ham, these have been balls of quality as well, not simple lay-offs or square balls. By comparison, Jorginho - who left in January - registered just five assists across four and a half seasons in the Premier League for Chelsea. He didn't get any last campaign.
Fernandez is about much more than just the numbers though and is hoping to bring a new spark to the Blues as they look to go all the way in the Champions League this season. It is not only close to being the only way into the competition next season, it is also the only tangible prize up for grabs between now and the end of the season for the club.
This didn't put Fernandez off joining over the winter though and the drive to get him to Stamford Bridge, even for such a massive price, comes with high hopes. When it comes to European pedigree few have been better in the centre of the park in the past two decades than Zinedine Zidane and Luka Modric, the pair have won a combined six Champions League trophies as players.
Add in the extra three Zidane has collected as a coach and their dominance in the competition is almost unprecedented. That's the level Chelsea want Fernandez to reach, and for good reason too.
Jose Peseiro, the former Sporting CP and Porto manager, said of Fernandez: “His passes and vision remind me of Zinedine Zidane. He also finds solutions just by controlling the ball in a certain way. His level is absolutely amazing.”
These are elements of his game that have only just begun to be seen in England too. “He has a panoramic view of the game and a refined touch, very similar to Luka Modric,” a previous mentor at River Plate told Argentinian paper, Clarin.
Chelsea themselves tried to buy Modric before he got to Madrid. This time they have beaten the competition to one of the world's best young talents, albeit for a price that blows most of the competitors out of the water. That won't matter if Fernandez can be compared to Modric and Zidane come the end of his career though.
READ NEXT:
Graham Potter can finally unleash Chelsea's own Kylian Mbappe vs Everton after seven month agony
Todd Boehly handed £46m Chelsea transfer dilemma to rectify major Thomas Tuchel mistake
Graham Potter has three N'Golo Kante questions to answer with Chelsea team selection vs Everton
Graham Potter set to be handed Wesley Fofana Champions League headache amid injury crisis
Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from Stamford Bridge
