Chelsea are now in a race against the clock to complete a deal for Enzo Fernandez. The 22-year-old Argentine has been the backdrop to seven new faces arriving at Stamford Bridge already this window but Todd Boehly and Co. are hoping that the best has been saved until last.
The need for a new midfielder has been evident all month long - and even further back than that - but little progress had been made with Moises Caicedo due to his lofty valuation. With other priority targets Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham unlikely to be on the move until the summer it created a tough choice for the Blues.
Fernandez was the most likely to be on the way to London this month, especially after initial talks were held in December ahead of a proposed transfer. At that stage, the £106m release clause was deemed steep but worth it for a player of his quality. The payment structure has been the major issue.
