Chelsea has completed the record transfer of talent Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, on the last day of the market. The London Blues will pay the Portuguese club a full 107 million pounds for the midfielder's card. The move has broken the previous record for the most expensive player in the Premier League, held by Manchester City's Jack Grealish. "Citizens" paid 100 million pounds for the Englishman.
Fernandez joined Benfica from Argentine side River Plate for just £10m. However, the World Cup in Qatar showed the potential and extraordinary skills of the midfielder, who also received the title of the best young player of the competition. Fernandez has signed a contract for 8 and a half years with Chelsea.
The transfer of the Argentine means that the London club has spent a full 289 million pounds this January market, an unusual figure. Especially considering that the Blues spent 270 million pounds in the summer market.
Benfica confirmed that River Plate will receive 25% of Fernandez's transfer fee, due to a default clause in the player's clause. The midfielder has scored 4 goals in 29 appearances with the Portuguese club. Fernandez also scored at the World Cup in Qatar, in the group stage match against Mexico.
Sports journalist Guillem Balague has commented on the transfer of the Portuguese to Chelsea, describing him as a very talented and smart player. Balague said:
"He was not decisive at the start of the World Cup, but very important for Argentina's victory. It all came down to his reading of the game… He can play in any position in midfield. He can be a stopper, he can play on the left, on the right, and the statistics show that he increases the quality of the game with his movements. He delivers the final pass and the pass in front of him, and has also scored goals. It is not easy to find a player who, when the game is played at high intensity, still plays beautiful football."
