Enzo Fernandez still remembers the times. “Four hours difference in winter, three hours in summer - we knew exactly,” he says, going back to the Sunday mornings where he would get up early and crawl into bed with his dad to watch the Premier League. It was there, drinking Mate – a South American herbal drink –, where he would tune in to see his Argentinian heroes – “Kun Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Higuain…” – but in San Martin, Buenos Aires, those stadiums of Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford seemed a world away. Now, though, it is Enzo Fernandez, a World Cup winner at 22, who stands above them as the most expensive Premier League player of all time.
All journeys to the Premier League are remarkable – but Fernandez’s has been defined by an astonishing and dizzying assent. “It’s all gone very, very quickly,” he admits, speaking through a translator – although he has now started English lessons. He is happy to be here at Chelsea although the move to London – a “beautiful city,” he says – with his young family has not been easy. Fernandez is staying in a hotel as he has yet to find a house, but he is settling into his new surroundings following his third move in less than a year.
