Chelsea complete record signing of Benfica’s Fernandez
Premier League side Chelsea completed the signing of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record £106.8m (R2.29bn) late on Tuesday night after a day of complex negotiations between the clubs.
As the clock ticked down on deadline day it appeared a deal might not be reached but a statement from Benfica confirmed one had been agreed shortly before midnight on Tuesday.
It said Chelsea would pay the contract release fee for the 22year-old, who has signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal with the London club. It takes Chelsea’s transfer spending in January alone to more than £300m (R6.42bn).
Chelsea were still to officially confirm the completion of the deal, but according to Sky Sports the paperwork had been submitted on time and before the deadline.
According to media reports, Chelsea will pay the fee in several instalments.
“Sport Lisboa e Benfica — Futebol, SAD informs that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea FC for the sale of all the rights of the player Enzo Fernandez, for an amount of €121m,” a Benfica statement read.
The fee eclipses the £100m (R2.14bn) Manchester City paid Aston Villa for England midfielder Jack Grealish in 2021.
Fernandez was instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup-winning campaign in Qatar, breaking into the starting line-up, playing every game and scoring one of the goals in a vital victory over Mexico in the group phase.
He capped off the tournament by bagging the Young Player Award.
Fernandez joined Benfica from Argentina side River Plate in July 2022 and has scored four goals in 29 appearances.
Benfica boss Roger Schmidt was not keen on seeing Fernandez leave but had said their hands would be tied if a club paid the player’s release clause.
Fernandez is Chelsea’s eighth recruit in the midseason transfer window after the London club signed Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Fofana and Malo Gusto, while Joao Felix arrived on loan from Atletico Madrid. All of them are 23 or younger.
On Tuesday, Chelsea sold experienced midfielder Jorginho to Premier League leaders Arsenal for £12m (R255m).
Fernandez’s transfer takes Chelsea’s total outlay on players since last May’s takeover by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital to about £600m (R12.85bn) as they try to rebuild their squad.
Chelsea are 10th in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of a top four spot. They next host local rivals Fulham on Friday.
● Manchester United have completed the deadline day loan signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, the club confirmed on Wednesday.
Sabitzer became a late target for United after Christian Eriksen was ruled out because of an ankle injury that could sideline him until early May.
● Tottenham Hotspur have signed Spanish right-back Pedro Porro from Portuguese side Sporting on loan until the end of the season with an obligation to make the deal permanent in the summer, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
Financial details were not disclosed but British media reported that Spurs paid about £40m (R850m) for the 23-yearold defender.
Porro becomes the north London club’s second signing of the January transfer window after they also brought in winger Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.
Manchester City signed Porro in 2019 but immediately loaned him to Real Valladolid for one season before he joined Sporting on a two-year loan deal. In 2022, Sporting triggered Porro’s buyout clause and signed him on a permanent deal.