Chelsea have set a Friday deadline for clubs interested in Enzo Fernandez to submit offers of at least £120m for the midfielder, as uncertainty over the Argentina international’s future at Stamford Bridge enters its final stage.
The club has reportedly given interested parties until 5:00pm BST on Friday to meet its valuation of the 25-year-old midfielder.
Fernandez’s future has been uncertain since March, when he raised the possibility of leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid following a difficult campaign for the London club.
His agent, Javier Pastore, later claimed that Fernandez was underpaid and wanted to leave after what proved to be a disappointing season for Chelsea.
Chelsea stand firm on £120m valuation
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and ended the campaign without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.
Real Madrid have since indicated that they have no intention of signing Fernandez, leaving Manchester City as the only known potential suitor.
City, however, are yet to indicate whether they are prepared to meet Chelsea’s £120m valuation, with the club also pursuing Lille midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.
According to reports, Chelsea have set 5:00pm BST on Friday as the deadline for formal offers and are expected to stand firm on their asking price.
The valuation is significant given that Chelsea paid £107m to sign Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.
Fernandez still key to Chelsea plans
The deadline is intended to bring an end to the uncertainty surrounding Fernandez before the new season begins.
Chelsea believe they have given the midfielder and interested clubs roughly 60 days to complete a deal at what the club considers a fair price.
New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has spoken with Fernandez about his future but has declined to disclose details of their conversation.
Despite the possibility of a departure, Chelsea have made it clear that they are prepared to fully reintegrate Fernandez into the squad if no suitable offer arrives.
The club continues to regard the midfielder as an important part of its plans.
Fernandez returns to training
Fernandez enjoyed a productive individual campaign despite Chelsea’s disappointing season, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in 54 appearances.
He subsequently helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after Fernandez was sent off.
The midfielder returned to Chelsea training this week for the first time under Alonso.
His future at Stamford Bridge could now be determined by Friday’s deadline, with Chelsea demanding £120m from any club that wants to secure his services.
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