Over the last couple of days, the biggest talking point surrounding Chelsea has been Enzo Fernandez. After the 3-0 defeat against PSG in the second leg, the midfielder refused to rule out a summer exit when asked about his future. This came after reports broke in Argentina that there were chances that he could leave the club at the end of the season.
Signed in early 2023, straight after his World Cup win with Argentina, Fernandez has been an integral part of this Chelsea team since the beginning. The faltering BlueCo project cannot afford lose one of its faces.
Of course, many were quick to point the finger towards Chelsea’s performances. On the pitch, they have not been able to match the ambitions of someone like Fernandez. An 8-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of PSG was the latest example of that.
But it might not be on-field reasons why Fernandez might be hinting at a Chelsea exit. Fabrizio Romano, one of the most reliable journalists in football, has suggested so.
Fabrizio Romano shares real reason Enzo Fernandez might’ve hinted at Chelsea exit
Liam Rosenior claimed earlier in the day that Fernandez was completely committed to Chelsea and happy at the club. The suggestion from the manager was that his comments might have been misconstrued.
Romano paints a different picture though. In fact, trouble could be brewing behind the scenes due to failure to agree on a new contract. While speaking on his YouTube channel, the journalist said:
“Look, when a player is answering like this, obviously no smoke without fire. So there is something happening behind the scenes. My understanding is that there has been conversation for some months between Enzo Fernández and Chelsea to try find a solution over contract terms, to try adjust the contract of Enzo Fernández.
“At the moment, as of today mid-March, without a solution. So at the moment, there is still no agreement between Chelsea and Enzo Fernández over fresh new contract terms. It means that if the situation will continue like this. So I’m sure they will still try to find a solution. If they can’t find a solution, after the answer we saw last night, Enzo Fernández could be open to exploring options in the summer transfer window.
“So it’s a possibility that Enzo Fernández could welcome in the summer if they can’t find an agreement on a new contract before. But it all starts from contract conversations; so this is how it started.”
What does the future hold for Enzo Fernandez?
Well, that update from Romano has thrown a new twist in this tale, that is for sure. Fernandez’s problems might not be with the performances on the pitch but with his contract situation.
If so, it might be a bit easier to solve. That being said, BlueCo have a structure in place when it comes to contracts as well. But it was always going to be a matter of time before players start demanding salaries in line with what is on offer at other top European clubs.
If Fernandez does end up leaving, there is not going to be any lack of interest in his signature. The likes of Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City and more clubs are believed to be keeping tabs on his situation at Chelsea.
The best-case scenario for Chelsea would be Fernandez staying and building a squad that can match his sporting ambitions.
