Chelsea close in on Enzo Fernandez deal after ‘agreeing to pay over £105m release clause’ | Football | Sport

Chelsea are reportedly closing in on securing the signature of Enzo Fernandez, owning now agreed a offer with Benfica. The Blues are inclined to pay back far more than his £105million to land the midfielder, prioritising the payment composition in negotiations.

The Blues have been determined to signal a midfielder this thirty day period, acquiring unsuccessful with bids for Amadou Onana and Moises Caicedo. Having said that, Fernandez has remained their top rated goal in the course of, with his Globe Cup performances catching the eye.

Benfica have continually pointed to the playmaker’s launch clause in talks with Chelsea, nevertheless the club are not inclined to pay the rate in just one go. Rather, in accordance to the Occasions, Graham Potter’s facet have agreed to fork out £115m in instalment – £10m in excess of his launch clause.

Fernandez agreed own terms at Stamford Bridge previously this thirty day period in the initially round of negotiations, which sparked uproar in Portugal soon after they collapsed as Chelsea provided reduced than they experienced verbally agreed to. Though this was not an concern for the player, who remained keen on the go to Stamford Bridge.

If completed, Fernandez will turn into the most expensive signing of any Premier League team – a title at the moment owned by Jack Grealish right after his £100m transfer to Manchester Metropolis. Of system, he also becomes a club report signing.

With N’Golo Kante and Jorginho equally out of agreement at the end of the period, getting at the very least a single prolonged-time period successor for either of the pair was the priority heading into this month’s transfer window. And with Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek both equally attracting loads of interest, Potter was organization with making certain that he would not be left shorter of options in the centre of the park this month.

The previous Brighton boss also insisted that he required to be very well-backed this thirty day period if his facet are to have a opportunity of pushing for Champions League soccer for future year. The Blues are currently 10^th in the Leading League and have endured a miserable start to the period, with performances exhibiting that the workforce is extremely much a operate in development.

Although Todd Boehly has not misplaced faith in Potter as a end result, instead supplying him with a key spending budget to get the job done with. Chelsea have welcomed wingers Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke to their ranks previously this thirty day period, as effectively as getting ready for subsequent time by hanging a offer with Lyon for Malo Gusto – who will join the Leading League outfit in the summertime.