A statement from Benfica confirmed that a deal had been reached between the clubs over how Chelsea would pay the release fee for the 22-year-old, who has signed an eight-and-a-half year contract.
LONDON – Premier League side Chelsea completed the signing of Benfica’s Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for a British record 106.8 million pounds ($131.46 million or almost R2,3 billion) on Wednesday after a day of complex negotiations between the clubs.
A statement from Benfica confirmed that a deal had been reached between the clubs over how Chelsea would pay the release fee for the 22-year-old, who has signed an eight-and-a-half year contract.
Chelsea were still to confirm the deal but according to Sky Sports the paperwork had been submitted on time and before the transfer deadline at 2300 GMT on Tuesday.
“Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD informs that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea FC for the sale of all the rights of the player Enzo Fernandez, for an amount of 121,000,000 euros,” the statement read.
The fee eclipses the 100 million pounds Manchester City paid Aston Villa for England midfielder Jack Grealish in 2021.
Fernandez was instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup campaign in Qatar, breaking into the starting line-up and playing every game, capping off the tournament by bagging the Young Player Award.
Benfica boss Roger Schmidt was not keen on seeing Fernandez leave but had said their hands would be tied if a club paid the player’s release clause.
Fernandez moved from Argentine side River Plate to Benfica only last year and has played 29 times in all competitions, scoring four goals and grabbing seven assists.
He is Chelsea’s eighth recruit in the mid-season transfer window after the London club signed Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Fofana and Malo Gusto while Joao Felix arrived on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Fernandez’s transfer takes the club’s total outlay on players since last year’s takeover by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital to around 600 million pounds with more than 300 million pounds splashed out in January alone.
Chelsea are 10th in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of a top four spot. They next host local rivals Fulham on Friday.
Reuters
