Chelsea have been trying to find a breakthrough in negotiations with Benfica as they look to secure a deal for Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine midfielder is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge but the Portuguese outfit have insisted they will only sell if his £105million release clause is met.
The two clubs have been locked in negotiations throughout the first week of the January transfer window, but no agreement has been reached so far. Jorginho and N'Golo Kante are both out of contract at the end of the season and the latter hasn't played due to injury since August.
Todd Boehly is aware of the growing issue regarding Chelsea's midfield and is hoping to add Fernandez to Graham Potter's squad in the coming days. It looks as though the Blues will need to flex their financial power and pay a huge fee upfront as opposed to the three separate instalments that had been hoping for.
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The 21-year-old was a standout performer at the World Cup - winning the tournament's Young Player Award after Lionel Messi and his teammates beat France to win become world champions. The latest reports suggest that Fernandez's dream move to the Premier League has 'collapsed' with Benfica insisting that Chelsea must pay his release clause or there will be no deal.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have not scheduled a new meeting with the Lisbon-based side after talks over a deal structured with three instalment payments reportedly collapsed. Chelsea are said to have officially bid £75million for the 21-year-old, a fee that falls well below Fernandez's release clause.
This could suggest that Boehly is now going to shift his focus on other targets with Brighton star Moises Caicedo having been heavily linked to a reunion with Potter in west London. Caicedo is valued at around a similar fee to what the Blues bid for Fernandez and is the same age as the Argentina star.
football.london understands that Chelsea are keen to add a new striker, central midfielder, centre-back and right wing-back to the squad before the end of the January transfer window.
Benoit Badiashile is expected to finalise a move to Stamford Bridge this week after completing a medical ahead of a £33million move from Monaco as Boehly searches for the right players to add to Potter's squad.
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