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After being Argentina’s standout midfielder in the 2022 World Cup, Enzo Fernández earned an £107 million move to Chelsea, which remains their most costly investment in a single player during the BlueCo era, though South American teammate Moises Caicedo came close a few months later. The dynamic midfielder excited many across Europe, with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid heavily interested in his services before the then-Benfica man put pen to paper to link up with Graham Potter.
Fast forward to today, where a project in dismay has seen limited silverware arrive at Stamford Bridge, with a UEFA Conference League title and a FIFA Club World Cup not enough to quell fan anguish this summer. Many felt excited when BlueCo joined the club, admiring their model to set up for the future and develop the stars of tomorrow rather than a buy-now model that would be unsustainable. This was favoured as at the time, after a long relinquishing of the power by Roman Abramovic, stability was what the club needed. Yet, with billions spent and little silverware to show for it today, Chelsea Football Club seem more unstable than possibly ever before.
There is no one singular problem that can be fought at Chelsea, but most notably with Fernández is a will for star players that were purchased for huge sums turning their back on this project in order to explore potentially greener grass. For all their on-pitch problems, Liam Rosenior’s side aren’t short of top class players, with the likes of captain Reece James, the aforementioned Moises Caicedo, and exciting attackers like Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro. Fernández can comfortably fit in this bracket, not only as one of Chelsea’s best but potentially as one of the league’s best.
During the latest international break, the Argentine failed to put out any fires that link his services to Real Madrid, who seem likely to shake up their midfield ranks this summer, as Los Blancos have also been linked to the likes of Manchester City’s Balon D’Or winner Rodri and Liverpool’s Dominik Szobozslai. Speaking to Marco Giles and Infobae, Fernández detailed how he’d like to live in Madrid, noting how the city reminds him of Buenos Aires, home to River Plate, where he came through their academy before moving to Portugal in 2021.
Assuming Chelsea fail to qualify for Champions League football this season, which seems unlikely given their struggling form under Rosenior and their difficult run of games left this season, it doesn’t seem impossible to see the 25-year-old midfielder depart East London this summer for much less than his initial fee. So how will the former Strasbourg and Hull City boss replace him in the midst of what could be another chaotic summer?
One option is to trust who’s in front of him, passing the reigns of anchoring the midfield and linking defence to attack through Andrey Santos. Rosenior worked heavily with the Brazilian last season and has presented him with plenty of opportunities since he took the job, with 48% of his minutes this season coming from January onwards. Assuming Caicedo stays, playing Santos deeper could allow Cole Palmer to return to his preferred central role in the 10 position of midfield, rather than on the right wing.
Another option is to follow the same prototype from 2023 and pursue the standout midfielder of the 2026 World Cup, which is difficult to predict until the tournament kicks off. Few would have estimated Alexis Mac Allister would be outshone in the middle of the park by his younger teammate, yet it was the case that the then Brighton midfielder would be the unsung hero with Fernández taking the headlines, getting his move sooner than Mac Allister who later joined Liverpool in 2023.
Instead, Chelsea may be tempted to dip into the market and take a player that while not so young, can still offer some great talent and experience for years to come. As part of the midfield refresh, Eduardo Camavinga’s name has consistently been linked to the exit door, with Manchester United and Bayern Munich tipped to pursue his signature. If Madrid is in the heart of Fernández, an indirect swap deal could be pursued to bring the Frenchman to the Premier League.
Stylistically, Camavinga is dissimilar from the Argentine, offering a much more defensively secure nature to midfield rather than the creative flair Fernández can offer. However, the balance and work rate he can offer a midfield mustn’t go overlooked. His versatility also makes him a helpful team player, having filled in at left-back and centre-half during his time at the Bernabeu.
Replacing any senior stars that may depart this summer wouldn’t be easy for those upstairs at Stamford Bridge, and considering the immense scrutiny they’re under today, it seems like it must be a transfer they get right in what will be a crucial window for the BlueCo group.
Thumbnail image credit: Vespa125125CFC via Wikimedia Commons
