Liverpool have reportedly secured a ‘pre-contract agreement’ with Benfica midfielder and Argentina international star Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez has caught the eye at the World Cup, where he scored a brilliant goal in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Mexico during the group stage. The 21-year-old midfielder curled into the top corner late on to ensure Argentina won a match they desparately needed to.
The holding midfielder did not feature from the start in either of his nation’s opening two World Cup games but has been included in the line-ups for each of the next three matches, including the quarter-final victory over Netherlands.
Fernandez primarily plays at the base of a three-man midfield for Argentina, while has has also featured in Benfica’s 4-2-3-1 formation. He is known more for his technique and range of passing rather than tackling ability, with his positional sense and tactical awareness highly-rated.
Reports from Portuguese media outlet Record and Diario AS in Spain outline that the player has reached a pre-agreement with the Reds. However, both outlets cite that those reports emerged in the other nation – with neither claiming the story as their own.
Liverpool are prioritising the signing of a central midfielder next summer after missing out on Aurelien Tchouameni – who joined Real Madrid from Monaco last summer – and are keeping tabs on the situation of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is being chased by a host of Europe’s top clubs.
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Fernandez only joined Benfica over the summer in a deal worth €10million (£8.9million) plus €8m (£7.1m) in add-ons from Argentine giants River Plate. The Lisbon club have inserted a £106m release clause in his contract, meaning any suitors would have to spend big to secure his signature.
Fernandez earned his first call-up to the Argentina senior squad in September and he has only made a grand total of 116 senior appearances throughout his career, having made his debut in March 2020.
Benfica have become experts in signing players – many from South American nations – in relatively-affordable deals before selling them on for huge profits to wealthier clubs within Europe. Liverpool made striker Darwin Nunez their club-record signing when the striker joined from Benfica in a deal worth £64.2million (€75m) up front plus a series of add-ons earlier this year.
