Report: Club now think their star player is about to leave, after claims Chelsea are pushing to sign him

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Reports from Portugal have claimed that Benfica are now preparing for a future without Enzo Fernandez in their ranks.

According to O Jogo, the Portuguese side are looking to make their own signing in teenager Maximo Perrone as they prepare for life without their star player.

The midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea over the past few days.

Todd Boehly has been reportedly keen on helping the Blues push to complete a deal when the January transfer window opens in a few days’ time.

This is because it is widely expected that the 21-year-old will be the subject of interest from a wide variety of elite clubs, including many from the Premier League.

Benfica expect Fernandez to leave

This is a method the Blues have reportedly already utilised to their advantage. It has been claimed that they have completed the signing of Christopher Nkunku ahead of him arriving at the end of the season.

It has been claimed that Benfica are expecting Chelsea to trigger the player’s release clause if they are unable to convince him to sign a new deal to at least keep him until the end of the season.

However, O Juego have claimed that they are internally beginning to accept the inevitable that the midfielder will be on the move.

Chelsea will be hot in the market for a midfielder in the next couple of windows due to the likelihood that two of their current stars will be gone at the end of the campaign.

Both Jorginho and N’golo Kante have contracts that are set to expire at the end of the season, and neither are currently showing any signs that they will extend their stay at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez’s performances at the World Cup for champions Argentina have certainly suggested that he can fill the void of either of those two if they do choose to leave.