Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea make British record transfer bid

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:09 CDT
• 2 min read

Chelsea are ready to break the bank to sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, with the Blues ready to make a British record transfer offer for the World Cup winner, according to multiple reports.

The Blues have made an offer worth €120 million (£105m) to sign the Argentina international star, with The Telegraph reporting that they are “optimistic” that they will finally make the breakthrough they wish for the 21-year-old star.

Although that figure matches Fernandez’s release clause, that will only be triggered if Chelsea are willing to pay that amount in a lump sum up front – something they have strongly resisted until this point.

Chelsea's 10 most expensive transfers ever

Indeed, the report suggests that Chelsea are looking to make one large payment followed by five smaller instalments for the player.

Benfica president Rui Costa has consistently stated that only the release clause will see Enzo leave Benfica this month, yet the Blues are confident that the size of the bid plus the desire of the player to make a January transfer will help them to finally get the deal completed after a month of dogged pursuit.

Should this deal get done, it would push Chelsea’s transfer spending since the summer beyond the £500m mark – an amount entirely unprecedented in the history of the market.

MORE: Mudryk, Badiashile and now Enzo Fernandez: How Chelsea are dodging FFP

After a record spend in the summer, the Blues have again been active in January – traditionally a time when few deals are done. Instead, they have signed Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, pinching him from rivals Arsenal in the process, Benoit Badiashile from Monaco, Malo Gusto from Lyon and David Datro Fofana all in transfers worth eight-figure sums.

Furthermore, Joao Felix has joined on loan from Atletico Madrid.

What is the British transfer record?

Manchester City’s £100m signing of Jack Grealish is the most expensive transfer completed by a Premier League side.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s purchase of Romelu Lukaku from Inter in 2021 for £98m is the second most expensive Premier League deal in history and also the club record.