When Chelsea were desperate to wrap up a deal for Enzo Fernandez, the club sent representatives to Lisbon to finalise a deal for Enzo Fernandez. The 22-year-old was quickly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after winning the 'best young player' award at the World Cup in Qatar.
After an initial breakdown in talks, the Blues managed to strike a deal with Benfica in the final hours of the January transfer window, agreeing to pay the Portuguese outfit £106.7million in six instalments. Fernandez signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, becoming the most expensive player in the west London club's history.
Determined to secure the Argentina international, Chelsea reportedly held face-to-face negotiations with Benfica president Rui Costa. After several meetings and hours of waiting, the Blues' transfer chiefs eventually left Lisbon on a private jet with signatures from clubs officials, stating they would pay just £40million up front – less than half of what the Portuguese outfit originally demanded.
