Guwahati: The hero of the 2022 World Cup Enzo Fernandez has been acquired by Chelsea Football Club in a British transfer deal of 105 million pounds to Benfica. Fernandez joined Chelsea which has added eight players and spent an amazing 300 million pounds on transfers so far this year.
Since American investor Todd Boehly purchased the team from Russian magnate Roman Abramovic, there has been a large investment made in player transfers, bringing in a variety of players to the club. However, Chelsea has been able to get around financial fair play rules because to prolonged contract terms given to the newcomers. According to reports, Enzo Fernandez follows a number of other players who have signed long-term contracts, such as Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile, by joining on an eight and a half-year agreement.
Enzo Fernandez’s transfer was finalised in the wee hours of a wild transfer deadline day that also saw many impromptu deals get done. After the youngster displayed excellent exploits as Argentina went on to win the World Cup, led by a certain Lionel Messi, who was considered as the tournament’s Best Young Player, discussions between Chelsea and Benfica started in late December.
Benfica first seemed unwilling to allow its top player depart in the middle of the season, but Chelsea later returned with a better offer that matched the release clause and ultimately resulted in a British record cost.
The price Manchester City paid Aston Villa to get Jack Grealish to the Etihad Stadium has effectively been surpassed by the deal for Enzo Fernandez. The 100 million pounds Manchester City had to spend on Grealish were overshadowed by Chelsea’s transaction, which broke the British transfer record.
Other prominent departures from Chelsea were a permanent move of Jorginho to the Emirates Stadium by Arsenal and a late loan transfer of Moroccan Hakim Ziyech to the French capital by Paris Saint-Germain.
Meanwhile, Manchester United signed Marcel Sabitzer from the Bundesliga when an agreement to let teenage Chelsea star Connor Gallagher leave Stamford Bridge fell through. Keylor Navas, a former Real Madrid player, was loaned to Nottingham Forest by PSG.