90min

Enzo Fernandez: Is he worth £115m?

By Euan Burns

The Argentina has only been at Benfica since the summer
The Argentina has only been at Benfica since the summer / Gualter Fatia/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

With the January transfer deadline day throwing up all sorts of interesting and unexpected deals, the one making the most headlines is a move that has been on the cards since before the window opened.

Chelsea's pursuit of Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been as thrilling as it has been baffling. The figures reported are a product of both the spiralling football transfer market, and also the gung-ho attitude of Chelsea under the stewardship of new owner Todd Boehly.

They have been throwing cash around all month long with an outlay of over £200m pounds already - unheard-of figures for a January window. They could add another £115m to that number if they get the Fernandez deal over the line.

It was reported by 90min earlier on deadline day Chelsea have agreed the £115m deal with Benfica for Fernandez with a medical planned in Portugal. £105m is the player's release clause and with the other add-ons, the deal will rise to £115m.

That will set a new British transfer record, beating the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021.

Is Enzo Fernandez really worth the money?

If we're thinking very literally about how much he has played and shown during his career, no. Fernandez is not worth £115m. That is not all that goes into a transfer of this sort, though, as Chelsea are essentially paying for his potential.

They are paying for the fact Benfica clearly hold the opinion that he will become a far greater player than he is right now. Chelsea are also paying over the top as Benfica are losing a key player in the January window.

On top of all of that, just over a month ago Fernandez was an important part of a World Cup-winning side. There is however much you feel the player is worth right now, and then there is all of that added tax which makes up a football transfer. Another added tax is that everyone knows Chelsea are loaded and they aren't concerned about forking out.

With the way the market continues to inflate, there is every possibility that this deal does not look too outlandish within the next few years, providing he performs.

If you prefer a more binary approach, Transfermarkt valued Fernandez at €55m in December 2022.

Enzo Fernandez at the 2022 World Cup

Coming into the tournament, Fernandez's name was already starting to carry some weight as many tipped the now-22-year-old to be one of the breakout stars of the Qatar World Cup. That is exactly how it panned out.

He did not start the first game against Saudi Arabia but came on and looked impressive even as Argentina fell to defeat. He then played half an hour against Mexico and scored, before playing 79 minutes against Poland and getting an assist.

That was enough for Lionel Scaloni to give him all 90 minutes against Australia in the last 16 and he played every minute of the tournament thereon in. The experience he will have gained at the highest level will be crucial should he be tasked with saving Chelsea's season from February onwards.

How would Enzo Fernandez fit at Chelsea?

It is very hard to work out just how Chelsea play at the moment as results go up and down as new players come into the team. Manager Graham Potter is a million miles away from knowing what his best XI is at this stage. One thing is sure though; Boehly will expect Fernandez to play straight away.

He could be used in a two-man midfield as part of the 4-2-3-1 formation, as has been the case predominantly for Benfica. That would mean partnering him likely with Mateo Kovacic given Jorginho is on his way to Arsenal.

If Chelsea wanted to use a midfield three, playing Fernandez on the right of that three would suit him very well, it's just a case of whether Chelsea have the right players to accommodate that. It won't be easy for Potter but he must find a way to use the expensive star.

Home/Chelsea