Benfica have told Chelsea in simple terms what it will take to sign Enzo Fernandez in the January transfer window. The 21-year-old Argentina international has come up on their radar and could be the answer to their midfield issues.
Fernandez has gone back to Portugal as a World Cup winner after starring for Lionel Scaloni's side and has taken the attention of the world with him. Having only joined the Lisbon-based side in the summer he has risen to prominence with standout performances in the Champions League as well.
The club themselves have an excellent recent record when it comes to transfers and managed to acquire £85million for Darwin Nunez last summer too. With a chasing pack behind Chelsea in the race to secure Fernandez there is little doubt that Benfica are set to make a massive profit on the £10million investment they made for him.
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It comes after a back and forth between the clubs in recent days that has seen Chelsea register their official interest with representatives travelling to Portugal to express their desire in signing the player. That has since escalated with football.london understanding there is a willingness to pay his £105million release clause to secure him early and ahead of the competition.
Although it is reported that Benfica wish to increase this clause and offer him a bonus to remain with the club there is still one price standing out to start talks. Club president Rui Costa has made this as clear as ever, saying: "We don’t want to give up Enzo Fernandez in January, but we are willing to please the boy in the event of a €120million (£106.2million) offer.”
That would make him the most expensive player in Premier League history, overtaking the £100million Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish last summer and the £97million Chelsea splashed on Romelu Lukaku too.
Portuguese media had reported earlier in December that a bid worth £86million had been rejected for Fernandez, only stating that it didn't come from Liverpool. There's no such uncertainty of what it will take to get him anymore.
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