Enzo Fernandez open to leaving Chelsea

Yikes

Fernandez arrived fresh off the back of winning Argentina their first World Cup since 1986 - in which he was named young player of the tournament - for a British record transfer fee of £106m from Benfica.

Although one of Chelsea's more consistent performers, it wouldn't be unjust to say that the midfielder hasn't lived up to that price tag in his brief time at the club.

That isn't all his fault though. Regularly played out of position by Mauricio Pochettino in a more advanced role than he is deployed in for Argentina, or when he played at Benfica and River Plate.

Fernandez's agents already prepping for life away from Chelsea

News of a move away so early would come as a shock to most however according to FootballTransfers, the wheels are already in motion when it comes to moving on to pastures new.

According to them the 23-year-old's agent, Uriel Perez, has begun speaking to other clubs about a move in the summer.

It's unknown if Fernandez himself has instructed his representatives to find him a move away.

One sticking point they may face however is the length of his contract. Chelsea recently activated a one-year extension clause, meaning he is under contract until 2032. Couple that with the Blues almost certainly going to want to get nearly all of the money they paid for him back, potential suitors may be few and far between.

Fernandez one of many unhappy at Stamford Bridge

With over half of the squad on contracts going into the 2030s there are plenty of others who may face the same conundrum if they choose to leave.

A report from The Athletic revealed that many of those who signed eight-year deals are now beginning to "regret" their decision and are struggling to see where the vision they were promised is going.

Barring Thiago Silva (2024), Conor Gallagher (2025) and a few bit-part players, every player at Stamford Bridge has at least three years left on their contract.

There's also doubts about Pochettino's future. Large sections of the home crowd booed and called for him to be sacked following their dismal 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves on Sunday.

Related links:

• Chelsea players ‘regret’ signing 8-year contracts and ‘don’t see the grand project sold to them’
• Chelsea want ‘world class’ manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino
• Chelsea fans left stunned by Ben Chilwell’s post-match interview