Chelsea Wants £120m for Fernandez, Sets Friday Deadline

Chelsea has set a deadline for interested clubs to make bids for Enzo Fernandez. Clubs must submit offers of at least £120 million by Friday.

The Argentina international has been unsure about his future at Stamford Bridge since March. Back then, he hinted at a move to Real Madrid.

Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, said his client feels underpaid and wants to leave after a tough season for Chelsea.

The club finished 10th in the Premier League and ended the season without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.

Real Madrid has since made it clear they do not plan to sign Fernandez. This leaves Manchester City as the only known club interested in him.

City has not stated if they will meet Chelsea’s £120 million asking price. The club is also looking at Lille midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.

According to BBC Sport on Wednesday, Chelsea has set 17:00 BST on Friday as the deadline for bids. They are expected to hold firm on their price, even though they paid £107 million to bring Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.

This deadline aims to clear up the uncertainty around the 25-year-old before the new season starts. Chelsea believes they have given Fernandez and interested clubs around 60 days to finalize a deal at a fair price.

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has talked to Fernandez about his future but has not shared the details of their discussion.

The club has made it clear they are ready to fully welcome Fernandez back into the squad. They still see him as a key player if they do not get a good offer.

Fernandez scored 15 goals and made seven assists in 54 games last season. He also helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after Fernandez was sent off.

This week, the midfielder returned to Chelsea training under Alonso for the first time. His future will now be decided by Friday’s deadline.