Enzo Fernandez has discussed his £106 million transfer from Benfica to Chelsea in January 2023, expressing some regret over how it transpired. The 23-year-old midfielder admitted he was unhappy with the circumstances surrounding his departure from Benfica.
At the time, Fernandez’s transfer was a British record, soon surpassed by Moises Caicedo’s £115 million move to Chelsea. He had played 29 matches for Benfica before the transfer, with his impressive performances for Argentina during the 2022 World Cup significantly influencing Chelsea’s interest.
Fernandez conveyed his feelings to Benfica fans during international duty, saying, “I obviously didn’t like the way I left the club, but I am very grateful for all the support.”
Since his transfer, he has appeared in 70 matches for Chelsea, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. However, some fans are still uncertain about his ideal position on the pitch.
Enzo Maresca recently characterized Fernandez as a box-to-box midfielder, comparing him to Declan Rice at Arsenal. Maresca noted that finding a player who can fulfill both attacking and defensive roles is challenging, and highlighted that Fernandez is currently unique in that regard for Chelsea.
Maresca explained that during matches, Fernandez operates as an attacking midfielder when the team is in possession and shifts to a holding role defensively. He emphasized the importance of this balance for the team’s strategy moving forward.
“We’re looking to find the right balance and the players who can provide that solution. Right now, Enzo is the only one who can do it. When we have possession, he plays as an attacking midfielder, and when we lose the ball, he drops back next to Moi to help with defensive balance.”
He continued, “In our first match against Manchester City, we had Romeo and Moi as holding midfielders, but Enzo currently plays as an attacking midfielder on the ball and as a holding midfielder off it. He’s performing very well, and we plan to maintain this approach.”
