Online Reporter
ENZO FERNANDEZ wants to leave Chelsea — but someone has to cough up £120million to seal his escape.
Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are all keeping tabs on the Argentina international.
The Blues vice-captain, 25, was banned for two games earlier this season after spending the March international break flirting with Madrid.
Talks have been held between Chelsea and Javier Pastore, the midfielder’s agent, over a new deal but little progress has been made.
Fernandez is said to be frustrated by the basic wage on offer from Chelsea. Blues deals are boosted significantly when the club are in Europe, but they missed out altogether this season.
New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, along with the sporting directors at the club, have Fernandez in their plans next season and did not want to sell.However, there is an acceptance at Stamford Bridge that if he forces the issue a deal will have to be struck.
While away with Argentina in March, Fernandez hit out at the club for the decision to sack Enzo Maresca in January.
Maresca was popular with the Blues playing squad and will be taking over from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City this summer.
Fernandez also discussed his desire to live in Madrid, which went down very poorly within the boardroom in west London.
The midfielder remains part of the club’s planning for next season, but Chelsea would consider offers that meet their £120m valuation.The midfielder was signed for a then British record £106m, rising to £110m, in January 2023 as part of a £300m spending spree under Graham Potter.
There are doubts over whether Real Madrid, Fernandez’s preferred destination, would be able to meet Chelsea’s asking price.
Fernandez has repeatedly refused to commit his future to the Blues across the final weeks of the season.
His time at Chelsea has been marred by scandal, especially so in 2024 when he posted a video which showed him and his Argentina teammates singing a racist chant about France‘s black players.
Blues team-mate Wesley Fofana, a France international, publicly accused Fernandez of “uninhibited racism” before the midfielder joined their pre-season tour to America and apologised to his teammates.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen will be allowed to leave the club this summer following a meeting with the sporting directors.
Jorgensen, who has been second choice for much of the season, is frustrated by a lack of playing time.
The Denmark international asked to move in January but was told he had to stay at the club.
Chelsea are happy to let Jorgensen leave with Mike Penders, the Belgium Under-21 international, returning from Strasbourg this summer.—Sun.
