Enzo Fernandez to Real Madrid is gathering steam, and Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly may have seen this coming.
It has been claimed that Fernandez could leave Chelsea before the end of the month, with Real Madrid believed to be his most likely destination.
The Spanish giants are keen on the midfielder, but Chelsea’s £120m valuation appeared to be a sticking point at one stage.
However, all of the noise coming out of Spain suggests that Real Madrid will still be able to agree some sort of deal with their English counterparts for Fernandez.
DEBATE: Bruno Guimaraes is a better all-round midfielder than Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea signed Fernandez from Benfica on an eight-and-a-half year contract in 2023. Chelsea supporters would have felt at the time that handing the Argentine such a long deal would prevent the club from losing him to a bigger outfit like Real Madrid later down the line.
In the past, though, Boehly stated that Chelsea would still have to “make a decision” on any player as their contract moved closer to its expiration date.
“A seven-year contract is really a five-year contract as 90% of the time you have to make a decision or shoot yourself in the foot [with a player trying to run down their contract],” Boehly explained at last year’s FT Business of Football event via BBC Sport.
“You either agree terms, or shoot yourself in the foot, or agree there are greener pastures out there.”
With Chelsea failing to agree a new deal with Fernandez, it now appears that they have made a decision on his future despite the Argentina international still having six years left on his contract.
What Chelsea’s likely Enzo Fernandez sale could mean for the future
Fernandez is one of Chelsea’s top players. Last season, he scored 15 goals in 54 appearances, which is even more than what Cole Palmer managed.
Even so, some Chelsea fans are happy for the World Cup winner to go. The message is simple: if you do not want to play for Chelsea, then leave.
However, a Fernandez sale this summer would be worrying. It would be proof that Chelsea are willing to let any unhappy player depart, even if they have years remaining on their contract.
What will prevent the same thing from happening with Palmer, Moises Caicedo or Reece James in the future? Chelsea letting Fernandez and Real Madrid bully them into a sale would set a really dangerous precedent.
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