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.
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Chelsea, in a reverse of the offer that secured them Mykhailo Mudryk against the odds, are now required to pay a large sum up-front. Having already spent the best part of £200m this window it would be a big outlay to sanction a new Premier League record fee on top of that.
The new World Cup winner is seen as a player well worth the investment though and late talks in the window could yet see the player wearing blue for the rest of the season. Having clashed with definitive club president Rui Costa in previous negotiations - with the former Portuguese midfielder playing hardball on the fee and structure - Chelsea have been given a way to make proceedings smoother.
According to David Ornstein of the Athletic, super agent Jorge Mendes has been enlisted to help things progress. Mendes himself is Portuguese and has already built up a relationship with Chelsea's new owners, pushing Cristiano Ronaldo their way over the summer.
This hands Chelsea a big late advantage in their attempts to seal this crucial move and cap off a fine window. Now it is over to the directors and key men to make the deal a reality.
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