When a club spends north of £100million on a footballer, there's no doubt that said player is going to have a significant role to play.
When Enzo Fernandez was brought in by the club for almost £107million in the January transfer window, he was clearly going to be a crucial part of the first-team for the remainder of the season. Back then, Chelsea still had some sort of European ambition. They were still in the Champions League and a place in this season's top-four wasn't completely out of the question.
However, since Fernandez was signed – after weeks of tireless work behind the scenes to persuade former the midfielder's former employers Benfica – plenty has changed at the club. Graham Potter, the man who was in charge when the Argentine arrived at Stamford Bridge, was sacked from his role as head coach at the start of April. Bruno Saltor took charge for one game before the club announced the return of Frank Lampard on a temporary basis until the end of the season.
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There has been one constant under all three of those managers and that is Fernandez. The Argentina World Cup winner has started every single of the 18 matches since he has been at Chelsea. That's 14 in the Premier League and four in the Champions League. Over £100million or not – that is some going.
He has been at least fairly good in all 18 of those matches, which is ridiculous given the amount of football he has played. Let's not forget, he was part of the Argentina squad during the two-week international break in March. There has been absolutely no rest for Enzo but he has thrived.
"He's a fantastic player, a young player. I think he's going to get better and better when he's with us more," former head coach Potter said on the Argentine midfielder in March.
"He's just arrived to a new country and a new league so you always have to adapt to that. You can see his quality, when he gets the ball he passes forward. He sees everything."
Interim boss Lampard is also full of admiration for the 22-year-old, but like Potter, warned that he needs time to settle before we really get to see the best from him. Which in itself is saying something because he's been superb thus far.
"He's a fantastic talent," Lampard said on Enzo. "For such a young player to achieve what he's achieved in this footballing year, it really is amazing. To win the World Cup and earn a great move to a club like Chelsea, it's really impressive.
"It's been such a difficult moment to come to the club, but it's a challenge that will make him better. He's a really bright talent for his age but, of course, he needs help and support to fulfil his potential and will need time to do that.
"I've been really pleased with Enzo. I think he's the future of Chelsea but we must also give him time to settle."
Fellow Argentine Mauricio Pochettino is expected to become the new permanent Chelsea head coach in time for next season. The club have been in talks with Pochettino for weeks now over the vacant managerial role at Stamford Bridge and negotiations have been positive so far.
Pochettino will be well aware of the talent he will have on his hands should he be appointed. He will also be well aware of what a special footballer Fernandez is and he is likely to be the figure the former Tottenham boss builds his long-term project around on the pitch.
It's no secret Chelsea are searching for a long-term partner for Enzo ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window. We should not rule out Declan Rice, while the likes of Youssouf Fofana, Edson Alvarez, Romeo Lavia, Manu Kone and Moises Caicedo have all been mentioned behind the scenes at the club.
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