Chelsea's record signing Enzo Fernandez has insisted he is not feeling the pressure at Stamford Bridge, despite his extraordinary price-tag,
The Blues completed the £106.7million signing – a British record fee – for the Argentine midfielder in the dying moments of transfer deadline day last month. After weeks of negotiations with Benfica over a fee for Fernandez, the two clubs finally reached an agreement that would allow the 22-year-old to sign a contract in west London until the summer of 2031.
Fernandez has played four times for Chelsea since making the move, but is yet to be on the winning side. However, this is for no fault of his own, with the World Cup winner impressing in his four outings for the Blues thus far.
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A lot of players would feel the added pressure that comes with a British record transfer fee, but not Fernandez. He's taking it as it comes and has highlighted the importance of trying to enjoy doing what he loves.
"Everything happened so fast that I'm still shocked," Fernandez told Chelsea's official website. "I try to enjoy these moments and football, as that's what I'm passionate about. I've always dreamt of this.
"I've never felt any kind of pressure on my shoulders. Never in my life. I've always tried to enjoy. I do what I love! I always try to give it my all, with no pressure. Enjoying these moments is the most important thing.
"I've always longed to play in the Premier League. Chelsea FC has given me the opportunity to play here, and I feel grateful for their trust. I love everything about the club, I'm so happy with my teammates and technical staff.
"Honestly, ever since I landed here I felt at home. I'll always try to give it my all along with my teammates to achieve the greatest things for Chelsea.
"The World Cup is like reaching the sky! For me, that's the everlasting glory. But one needs to keep the focus and self-belief. I'll always try to have confidence in us, to win everything possible and keep evolving as a player. Clinching titles is the main objective, as well as enjoying football."
As Fernandez mentioned, he was part of that Argentina squad that tasted World Cup glory towards the end of last year. It was a tournament that saw the great Lionel Messi finally lift the famous trophy in front of a worldwide audience, where there were millions of people rooting for him.
Argentina may have ended up victorious in Qatar, but it got off to the worst possible start for the South Americans. Saudi Arabia produced one of the shocks of the tournament as they beat them 2-1 in the opening match of Group C.
"It's true the first game was not what we expected, and we did not get the result we wanted," Fernandez added. "But in any case, we demonstrated that we were calm, focused and united. Luckily, we became world champions, and that really is priceless.
"I've always said Leo Messi was a player I look up to. I've always tried to learn from him. He's a great person and has given me love and support within the team. I also had to face him when I played for Benfica in the Champions League, as he played for PSG. Right after that, we became teammates in the Argentina squad.
"He's a great person. [He's] very humble, hard-working. He deserves everything he has achieved in football."
The Chelsea midfielder continued: "I remember we went through tough times with the squad, and the press criticised Leo so harshly. I tried to explain how I feel about him. I asked him to stay, as he said he wouldn't play for the team anymore. I defended him to stay with us, playing for the squad. I was pretty young back then!
"He means a lot to everyone in the world. He's a legend for Argentina. He's a loved person, an idol for all Argentinians, for our children. As a person, I have no complaints about him. He's always given me so much love. He's always respected me and was a great teammate in all senses. I'm very thankful for having played with him."
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