Chelsea will need to spend big if they are to sign Benfica star Enzo Fernandez in January. Todd Boehly is expected to back Graham Potter with a number of signings to help aid their top four push in the Premier League.
Potter has his first chance to add players to his squad after inheriting Thomas Tuchel's team back in September. football.london understands that the Blues are in the market for a new striker, central midfielder, centre-back and right wing-back.
Enzo Fernandez has been heavily linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge after a brilliant World Cup campaign with Argentina. The 21-year-old could find himself in the Premier League this month, but Benfica will only let him go if a club pays his £106million release clause.
READ MORE: Chelsea signing set for immediate move away as Graham Potter plans £13.3m Joao Felix loan deal
According to the Mirror, River Plate will be owed 25% of any fee Benfica received for Fernandez. The Primeira Liga club are therefore keen to maximise Fernandez’s price tag to ensure they are properly remunerated.
Benfica have a history of receiving huge fees for their star players, shown by Joao Felix's £110million departure to Atletico Madrid in 2019 and Darwin Nunez's big-money move to Liverpool last summer. Benfica want Fernandez to stay until the summer, with the club releasing a statement last week insisting that quotes made by club president Rui Costa were taken out of context.
Costa was quoted as telling broadcaster DAZN that bids of a sufficient nature would be considered in the winter window. A club statement read: “SL Benfica clarifies that at no time did the President of the Club, Rui Costa, utter the words that are being circulated in Italy by DAZN."
Chelsea have the finances available to activate Fernandez's release clause, but reports suggest they would rather a different pay structure to secure the 21-year-old's signature as they have done with Christopher Nkunku. Potter is in need of a new midfielder given the uncertainty around N'Golo Kante and Jorginho's futures, but it remains to be seen whether Boehly will stump up the £106million fee.
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