Lionel Messi has hailed Enzo Fernandez as "spectacular" in what many Chelsea fans will consider a seal of approval after their club shelled out a British-record transfer fee of £105million to sign the midfield sensation.
Fernandez, 22, has joined the Blues six weeks after helping Argentina win the World Cup alongside Messi, picking up young player of the tournament to further boost his profile. In a well-documented transfer saga, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly and club officials spent much of the January window attempting to thrash out a deal with Benfica, but finally gave in to Portuguese giants' lofty demands with just two hours of deadline day to go.
Usually a player who commands that kind of transfer fee needs no introduction, but the ex- River Plate prodigy was far from a familiar name to most Blues supporters before Boehly and co began their chaotic pursuit. Countless pundits have praised Fernandez's talents, but perhaps what Messi has had to say about him is most crucial assessment out there.
