The biggest obstacle Chelsea are likely to face on transfer deadline day is the ticking clock. It is in 15 hours that the January window will close and there is much work to be done by the recruitment team, which has worked tirelessly throughout the month to reshape Graham Potter's first-team squad.
Signing Enzo Fernandez from Benfica remains the priority. Chelsea held extensive talks yesterday with the Portuguese giants and tabled an offer football.london understands is worth in excess of the £105million release clause in the midfielder's contract. However, the fee would be spread out over instalments rather than being paid in full.
Fernandez is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge and is understood to have reiterated that to the Benfica hierarchy yesterday. There is confidence among Chelsea's representatives that a deal will be agreed upon before the window closes, but Benfica have yet to communicate their decision.
