Chelsea set £120m deadline for Enzo Fernandez transfer offers

Chelsea have set a Friday deadline for clubs interested in midfielder Enzo Fernandez to submit offers of at least £120 million, as the club seeks to resolve the Argentina international’s future before the new Premier League season begins.

Interested clubs have until 17:00 BST on Friday to meet Chelsea’s valuation  , with the Blues determined not to lower their asking price despite paying Benfica a British-record £107 million for Fernandez in 2023.

Chelsea believe they have given Fernandez and potential suitors around two months to negotiate a transfer and consider the £120 million valuation a fair price for the 25-year-old midfielder.

Uncertainty over Fernandez’s future emerged in March when the player reportedly raised the possibility of joining Real Madrid. His agent, Javier Pastore, subsequently claimed that Fernandez was underpaid and wanted to leave following a difficult campaign for Chelsea.

The London club finished 10th in the Premier League last season and ended the campaign without silverware after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.

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Real Madrid have since indicated that they are not planning to pursue a deal for Fernandez, leaving Manchester City as the only known potential destination.

However, City have yet to indicate whether they are willing to meet Chelsea’s £120 million valuation and are also assessing alternatives, including Lille midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.

Chelsea’s new manager, Xabi Alonso, has held discussions with Fernandez about his future but has declined to reveal details of their conversation.

Despite the uncertainty, Chelsea continue to regard Fernandez as an important member of the squad and have made it clear that he will be reintegrated into the team if no acceptable offer is received before Friday’s deadline.

Fernandez remains under contract at Stamford Bridge and enjoyed a productive individual campaign last season, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in 54 appearances for the club.

He subsequently represented Argentina at the World Cup, helping the South American champions reach the final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after Fernandez was sent off.

Chelsea’s deadline now puts pressure on any potential suitor to make a decisive move, with the club determined to have clarity over Fernandez’s future before the Premier League campaign gets underway