Enzo Fernandez’s transfer to Chelsea appeared to be all but finalized, but disagreements with Benfica about the transfer’s structure have put a wrench in the works.
Since winning the FIFA Young Player Award and leading his country to overall victory at the World Cup, the Argentine midfielder has become a household name on a global scale, and demand for his services has skyrocketed.
Benfica paid River Plate merely €12 million for the 21-year-old in June, and Chelsea appeared to have won the race for him with the Portuguese team’s decision-makers in London on Tuesday to work out the details of the deal.
Chelsea apparently agreed to pay an additional €7 million on top of Fernandes’ €120 million release clause, but there is a condition that Benfica are not satisfied with.
The Times reports:
“Emboldened by Fernandez’s stance on the transfer – the 21-year-old has made clear to Benfica that he does not want to wait until the end of this season to switch clubs – Chelsea are asking for a discount on what would constitute a club-record fee, as well as for its payment to be spread over multiple years.”
“But senior officials at the Portuguese club are unhappy with Chelsea’s negotiating tactics, saying the latest bid represents a reduction on an informal offer made in Lisbon during Christmas week.”
Benfica isn’t backing down; if Fernandez leaves before the end of the current campaign, his €120 million release clause must be paid in full up front.
Even though American billionaire Todd Boehly’s Chelsea spent a record-breaking €280 million during the summer transfer window, the club is also attempting to steal Mykhailo Mudryk from Arsenal for a figure estimated to be in the neighborhood of €100 million.
