Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez transfer stance revealed amid Real Madrid links
- Enzo Fernandez has been linked with a move away from Chelsea
- The Argentine hasn't always been first choice under Enzo Maresca
- Chelsea have reportedly made their position on a potential transfer very clear
Chelsea have no intention of letting midfielder Enzo Fernandez leave the club any time soon despite rumoured transfer interest from Real Madrid, according to a report.
Fernandez arrived in west London in January 2023 for a club-record sum of £106.8m, penning a deal which stretches until June 2032. This was the latest peak in a dizzying rise for the Argentine midfielder who, less than two years earlier, had struggled to break into River Plate's first team.
The World Cup winner made a strong start to his Chelsea career in chaotic circumstances, as the club's new ownership cycled through managers. But after a largely underwhelming 2023/24 campaign, incoming head coach Enzo Maresca relegated his namesake to a substitute's role last autumn.
Fernandez has fought his way back into the first team and his performanes in a more advanced role have reportedly reignited interest from Real Madrid. Chelsea, however, are not interested.
The Blues expect Fernandez to remain at Stamford Bridge for "a very long time", according to football.london. If anything, Chelsea's recruitment strategy going forward is said to be based on players who will suit the Argentine's style of play.
The west London outfit have reportedly beaten Manchester United in the race for the signature of Geovany Quenda - a jet-heeled wide player for Sporting CP who would offer a youthful target for Fernandez's penetrative passes.
Fernandez has had his struggles on and off the field for Chelsea, but it's easy to forget quite how quickly the versatile midfielder has risen up the footballing hierarchy. FIFA crowned Fernandez as the best young player at the 2022 World Cup, yet his selection for the squad came as such a surprise he hadn't even made the official sticker book.
Maresca has been particularly impressed with the midfielder's growth this season. "Since we started, he has improved a lot," the Chelsea coach gushed in January. "At first it was a bit difficult for him to understand, but not just Enzo, but all the players, the idea that we wanted. Now he is doing very well and he is understanding much better compared to the beginning of the season."
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