After weeks and weeks of persistence, Chelsea have signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record fee. The Argentine will arrive for a fee worth €121 million, the largest to have ever been paid in the Premier League.
Fernandez has agreed an eight and a half year long contract with Chelsea, similar to Mykhaylo Mudryk and the other Chelsea signings that arrived under Todd Boehly. And without a doubt, the Blues have become record spenders in the January transfer window with their merciless new approach to recruitment.
Enzo Fernandez finally signs for Chelsea with deal agreed
The payment structure discussed with the Portuguese club involves six instalments. The up-front fee is worth £40 million, and the remainder will be paid down the line over the course of his contract.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were both involved in the deal, and managed to pull it off in a crazy final 24 hours of the January transfer window. The player has completed his medical tests and will soon be announced as a new Chelsea player.
Enzo Fernandez’s former club, River Plate, are entitled to a fee worth £26.7 million due to the sell-on clause in the player’s contract. The youngster joined Benfica only in June 2022. But, six months and a World Cup trophy later, he has become a record signing for the English top flight.
Chelsea had to make a number of intense decisions during the final 24 hours of the transfer window. They didn’t go all-in for Moises Caicedo, rejected a bid for Connor Gallagher from Everton and also decided to sell Jorginho to Arsenal.
With their vice captain gone, the midfield will need a new dictator and Fernandez could be the man to pull the strings after the Italian regista. Fernandez could make a cameo on Friday against Fulham and get more time against West Ham United on February 11.
