Benfica REJECT Chelsea’s opening bid for Enzo Fernandez
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Benfica REJECT Chelsea’s initial offer for Enzo Fernandez as they demand his £106m buyout clause up front after the Blues wanted to pay £112m for the World Cup winner in three installments.
- Benfica want Chelsea to pay their £106m buyout clause for Enzo Fernández
- Chelsea have been rejected an offer that would pay them in three installments
- The Blues could move on to other targets if they can’t reach a deal.
Benfica rejected Chelsea’s first offer for Argentina’s World Cup winner Enzo Fernández.
The Blues were willing to pay the Portuguese team £112m for the 21-year-old midfielder, more than the player’s £106m release clause.
However, Benfica want the full release clause paid in advance, rather than Chelsea’s proposal, in which they would pay £37.3m over three years to evade fair play financial restrictions.
Chelsea could move on to other targets if they can’t reach a deal for Enzo Fernandez
Benfica is reluctant to sell after the exploits of the midfielder with his country in the World Cup in Qatar.
Fernández returned to training at Benfica on Tuesday to tell coach Roger Schmidt of his desire to join Chelsea.
However, the Blues are threatening to move on to other targets if they cannot agree on the scale and restructuring of the fees.
If he were to move to Stamford Bridge, he would be the most expensive signing in Premier League history, surpassing Jack Grealish’s transfer to Man City.
Benfica want Chelsea to pay up-front the full £106m buyout clause for the World Cup winner (chairman Rui Costa pictured)
Chelsea would prefer to pay Benfica 112 million pounds in three installments for the Fernández deal
The Portuguese team has spoken with Feyenoord to sign midfielder Orkun Kocku as a possible replacement.
The 21-year-old had already angered his club by defying orders not to fly back to Argentina, and he also angered fans by going home to celebrate New Year’s Eve and missing two training sessions.
He opted to fly to Buenos Aires after the Braga game to spend the New Year with his family, despite not receiving permission from the club.
The Blues have already sealed the signing of Molde striker Datro Fofana while Christopher Nkunku and Andrey Santos are close to completion.