Enzo Fernandez’s squad number revealed

Robin Bairner

• 1 Feb 2023 13:03 GMT
• 3 min read

Enzo Fernandez has become Chelsea’s record transfer signing, with the Argentina midfielder having completed a stunning €121 million move from Benfica.

The deal was announced by the Portuguese club in a statement that was released in the early hours of 1 February, after the transfer window had closed.

Chelsea, though, had beaten the deadline to get Enzo, a player they had chased since the start of the window. It proved a difficult hunt, with Benfica insistent that the Blues would have to meet the €120m release clause of the player in order to sign him.

MORE: How Chelsea will line up after €330m January transfer splurge

In the end, Chelsea did not trigger the clause. Instead, they paid over the odds by €1m, which has allowed them to structure their payments for the 21-year-old in a more favourable manner to them, including an upfront fee of a reported €60m.

Meanwhile, Enzo will get the transfer to the Premier League that he had set his sights on.

MORE: Chelsea's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

What is Enzo Fernandez’s squad number?

Enzo Fernandez will wear the No.5 jersey at Chelsea, with leaked images apparently confirming the Argentine’s new jersey.

It means that he will inherit the shirt from Jorginho, whose role he is taking in the squad with the Italy international having moved to Arsenal in another dramatic Deadline Day transfer.

The shirt number is not a new one for Enzo despite being an unusual one for a midfielder, with the No.5 jersey having traditionally been worn by a centre-back. Indeed, he wore it for River Plate’s Under-20 side.

Enzo’s preferred number appears to be either the No.13 or No.8 jersey. He wore No.13 in his past couple of seasons at River Plate, having previously been 37 and 16.

When he moved to Benfica, meanwhile, that was the shirt number he claimed.

At Chelsea, goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli holds the No.13 shirt while Enzo’s midfield colleague Mateo Kovacic is the No.8.