Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez’s future continues to be a hot topic despite being away at the World Cup, with Real Madrid waiting in the wings.
Enzo Fernandez is currently taking center stage at the 2026 World Cup, but the Chelsea midfielder has taken a back seat, as Lionel Messi carries Argentina on his back.
And back at Chelsea, all the talk is about his future, with Fernandez reportedly reaching a verbal agreement on a five-year contract with Real Madrid, pushing heavily to work under Jose Mourinho.
Realising his exit is highly probable, Chelsea has slapped a massive £120 million price tag on the midfielder, but as is always the case, Mourinho doesn’t want to pay up.
Xabi Alonso wants to play Reece James in midfield
Simon Phillips has suggested that Reece James will find himself in the middle of midfield for Chelsea under Xabi Alonso after Marco Palestra’s signing.
This, coupled with the fact that Alonso has promised Palestra he will play a key part in his project at Stamford Bridge, adds to the speculation around positions.
Now, we have seen James operate at right-back under Thomas Tuchel for England at the World Cup, but even he pointed out the fact that he can operate as a number six if needed.
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Enzo Fernandez’s exit is all but sealed
Of course, there have been claims that Alonso wants to keep Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea, and it’s understandable, but it’s clear that his heart is elsewhere.
The doubts started back when Fernandez cast doubt over his future in the wake of Chelsea’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and there have been moments since.
When you look at James moving into midfield and the addition of Valentin Barco, it does seem as if Alonso is moving his chips to cover the void left by the Argentine. Especially with Romeo Lavia, Andrey Santos and other options to use, and games will only come once a week with no Europe.
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