Chelsea are keen on completing a deal for Enzo Fernandez and they are looking to secure an agreement with Benfica.
As per Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have scheduled a new round of talks on Monday and it remains to be seen whether the two parties can come to an agreement regarding a January transfer.
Enzo Fernandez has been a key target for the Blues this month but they have not managed to convince Benfica to lower their asking price for the 21-year-old.
The Portuguese outfit want the player’s €120 million release clause to be paid but Chelsea were hoping to sign him for a more reasonable amount.
As per Romano, Chelsea are now ready to raise their offer and reach the reported €120 million asking price. The final decision will now rest on the Benfica president Rui Costa.
It remains to be seen whether the Portuguese giants are prepared to sanction the departure of a key player so late in the window.
Fernandez has been a major hit since joining the club and he has four goals and seven assists to his name across all competitions. The 21-year-old was a star for his country in the World Cup as well. He was chosen as the best young player of the tournament.
Chelsea are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements and Fernandez would be a superb long-term addition.
With the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante expected to move on as free agents in the summer, the Blues need players like Fernandez next season.
[READ NEXT] Chelsea new boy Malo Gusto faces a lot of frustration at Stamford Bridge after £31m move
Malo Gusto has only just signed for Chelsea but the youngster is already facing an uphill task.
Malo Gusto: The Lyon starlet will join Chelsea in the summer (Image: Chelsea FC)
Chelsea have finally wrapped up their seventh signing of the January transfer window after convincing Lyon to sell Malo Gusto in a £31million transfer. And while there will be some relief within Stamford Bridge at clinching his signature after weeks of negotiations, the young full-back has every reason to feel concerned about his switch to Stamford Bridge.
It was announced on Sunday that the 19-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Blues until 2030, tying down the defender to the west London club for the next seven seasons. As part of the agreement with Lyon, Gusto will spend the rest of the campaign on loan with the Ligue 1 outfit.
Malo Gusto – whose full name when translated from Spanish to English means ‘bad taste’ – will be hoping to avoid having that sensation when he turns up at training for the first time in Cobham on July 1.
It is a deal that suits Chelsea in some ways, given their long-serving captain Cesar Azpilicueta is likely to depart this summer. This way, Azpilicueta can continue in his deputy role to step in at right-back if James is out injured and Gusto can gain much-needed experience for the rest of the season, having only made 54 appearances for the club.
Malo Gusto: The Lyon youngster will join Chelsea in the summer (Image: Getty)
The French teenager revealed he decided to join the club after hearing of their plans for the future: “I chose Chelsea because it’s a very big club and I really like the project. I’m very happy to be here,” he told the club’s official website.
But for Gusto, it is difficult to see the benefit to him joining the Premier League side, apart from the significance to his own personal finances.
At Lyon, he has only played as a right-back or further forward as a wing-back, and the assumption is he will be utilised in the same position when he arrives at Chelsea. The only problem is that Reece James, when fit, is considered untouchable in that role after emerging as one of the key players at the club.
Reece James: The Chelsea right-back is returning to action (Image: Getty)
ames is only 23 himself and recently put pen to paper on a six-year contract to commit his future to the club. He is going nowhere for the time being, despite interest from Real Madrid, and that means Gusto will surely be consigned to the bench.
As it stands, he is facing the prospect of spending the majority of his time on the bench when he arrives to link up with the squad in 2023-24.
Of course, Graham Potter may not see it as an issue. With a gruelling schedule forcing clubs to play around 55 to 60 matches a season, injuries and fitness problems are becoming more frequent than ever.
SOURCE: caughtoffside.com, express.co.uk
