But he was a substitute when Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia in their opening game in Qatar. Debut . Key attributes we considered are decision-making, agility, good passing range, smart movement in the final third and the ability to score goals. The alarm bells started ringing shortly before the competition when midfielder Giovani Lo Celso pulled out injured. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. ‘It’s all gone very quickly,” Enzo Fernández says as he reflects on breaking into the first team at River Plate, emerging from the shadows to become an important figure in Argentina’s World Cup triumph and “the nerves kicking in” as the minutes ticked away before he finally joined Chelsea for £106.8m on the final day of the transfer window. “It’s so hard to win the World Cup. Transfer Centre LIVE! A lot has happened in a very short time. My job is to go out and give my best.”. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.), FREE TO PLAY. But Fernandez offers a quality alternative. Chelsea are continuing talks with Benfica about signing Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Enzo Fernandez is undergoing a medical in Lisbon ahead of his proposed Premier League record move from Benfica to Chelsea; the Blues have also tried to sign Brightons Moises Caicedo and Evertons . He ranks very well in the majority of passing metrics with him being top in expected assists, assists, through passes, passes to the final third, smart passes and progressive passes. It was a real privilege to share a dressing room with him.”. Reece James is still Chelsea’s first-choice right-back when fit, with Malo Gusto rejoining Lyon on loan until the end of the season following the 19-year-old’s £30m signing this month, while Ben Chilwell’s injury concerns make Marc Cucurella an easy choice at left-back. Jordan Henderson – 72.5 (82.6%) He is due to board the flight on Wednesday morning after completing the relevant paperwork. At the World Cup, he scored a crucial second goal against Mexico in the group stage for his first international goal, and he also assisted Julian Alvarez in the 2-0 win over Poland. In the opposition half, his immaculate first touch gives him the opportunity to circulate possession rapidly and effectively while also recycling play at a quick tempo. James has played just once since October but is back in training and is sure to resume his place on the right of the defence once fit. pic.twitter.com/ddjl7KyFm8, WATCH: Every single Premier League match all season long on Fubo. Benfica will need to invest in a new organiser for their midfield. By But we had players with ability and a really strong mentality. Mit der argentinischen Nationalmannschaft wurde er 2022 Weltmeister . I am currently studying football management as I aspire to work in elite football. Multiple reports have confirmed the West London club have agreed a deal for the midfielder and he will join before the January window slams shut. Poch wants Ugarte. New Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino reportedly wants Ugarte to join Enzo Fernandez at the London club, but David Datro Fofana is not part of the discussions between Chelsea and Sporting at the moment. He also possesses good long-range passing, being able to switch the ball quickly from one side to another. First, opponents have studied them in depth, working out how to neutralise their strengths. Chelsea spent £280m in the transfer window, signing players to long-term deals. “Messi? Real Madrid make Enzo Fernandez transfer decision Real Madrid have been linked with a long list of players over the course of the past several weeks and months, and Enzo Fernandez's name has been doing the rounds of the rumour mill constantly. They have breathed new life into their midfield with Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga while England's Jude Bellingham is also on their radar. | Golf's big-money merger explained, PGA Tour boss Monahan faces resignation calls after shock LIV Golf merger, Stones: I never thought I'd be a pro, let alone this! Joel Sritharan is a freelance writer for Sporting News UK. He regularly proves his ability as an intelligent line-breaking passer by consistently finding the striker in between the lines from the deeper areas while he also moved into the final third to link play together and look to thread passes to runners in the channels. With Enzo Fernandez set to become Chelsea's 18th signing since the summer - and bring their spending to a staggering total of £600m - the Blues have dominated the headlines during the past two transfer windows. It’s just a case of being patient.”, Chelsea were booed off after losing at home to Southampton last week. “When you get on with someone it helps on the field. Reece James and Ben Chilwell have both faced extended spells on the sidelines - a huge blow for Chelsea given they have won 80 per cent of the games the duo have started together this season, and just 35 per cent when both have been absent. The 21-year-old midfielder was on the cards for many top clubs, but Chelsea seems set to win the race. His high pass completion rate per 90 and number of passes per 90 played prove that. But what does the rest of the Premier League think of them? Wrong. Veerman is not an aggressive footballer, you will rarely see him sliding into tackles or making aggressive duels. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Real Madrid and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. © 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. “What can I take from that time with him? All three players are affordable for Benfica and have enough potential to improve in the next seasons. Curtis Jones – 0 The second game against Mexico was tense. pic.twitter.com/hf32KDNNSd. Forwards: Mykhailo Mudryk, Kai Havertz, Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Noni Madueke, Armando Broja, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, David Datro Fofana, Omari Hutchinson. pic.twitter.com/z4MT70fHjG. Fernandez joined Benfica just last summer though and it is believed that the Portuguese club want his €120 million release clause met, if they are to let him leave anytime soon. The Gunners turned to the Italian on Monday after conceding defeat in their bid to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton. | Pep: Inter are dangerous, West Ham on verge of history 58 years after last European success, Moeen comes out of retirement to join England's Ashes squad, Al Nassr offer Zaha three-year deal worth £45m, PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf agree to stunning merger. With Joey Veerman, Gabriel Menino and Matheus Martinelli, we present three high-quality options to Benfica. All rights reserved. Can you name Liverpool’s 30 most expensive transfers of all-time. Enzo Fernandez – 2.2 Chelsea's projected line-up with Enzo Fernandez. He’s a great player, isn’t he? section: | slug: enzo-fernandez-transfer-scouting-chelseas-latest-target-benfica-argentina-star-can-do-a-bit-of-everything | sport: soccer | route: article_single.us | Among the many factors that have contributed to Potter's stuttering start to life in the Chelsea dugout are the numerous injuries that have robbed him of various first-team players - an issue that has been particularly prevalent in defence. Fernández, voted the best young player at the World Cup, has never pretended to have all the answers. Benfica has a defensive-minded player with Florentino Luis, a completion player with Rafa Silva as well as a player to provide depth and imbalance with David Neres. Enzo is the kind of midfielder that takes responsibility and combines sideways balls with progressive line-breaking passes, trying to gain meters for his team into the opposite half. Valuing a player is currently an arbitrary process where teams, players and representatives simply estimate what they are worth. Aug 2, 2019. In the info box, you can filter by period, club, type of league and competition. Box-to-Box midfielders are primarily involved in a high number of pressing actions in the opposition’s half. Trust the players, trust the backroom staff, trust the manager. An obvious drawback with such an overnight rise is that Fernandez is very much now a star for club and country and a 21-year-old world champion. “Energy, positivity and a real will to win, but also keeping humble. https://t.co/MEy0eMEluq. Chelsea transfer news latest as Manuel Ugarte negotiations continue during 2023 summer window, Every single Premier League match all season long on Fubo, Why Chelsea and Todd Boehly cannot afford to fail with Mauricio Pochettino, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Gabriel Slonina, Marcus Bettinelli, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Kalidou Koulibaly, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Ethan Ampadu, Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Ben Chilwell, Lewis Hall, Baba Abdul-Rahman, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Cesar Azpilicueta, Enzo Fernandez, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Andrey Santos, Carney Chukwuemeka, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic, Noni Madueke, Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, David Datro Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Januar 2001 in San Martín) ist ein argentinischer Fußballspieler, der beim FC Chelsea unter Vertrag steht. Thus, it looks like the club will only make a move for the Argentine if they are unable to bring the Englishman to Santiago Bernabeu. He doesn’t have the creativity or defensive ability of Enzo, but he’s very brave and clear-eyed on the ball, both short and long and on the run. PSG also pushing, they're still in the race. Talks on Tuesday were primarily aimed at negotiating that obstacle, with Chelsea offering to reduce the number of instalments. Suddenly, with Fernandez on the field, Argentina had a circuit of passing taking place in the opposing half. Now, he is about to move to a new club with Chelsea and Liverpool interested in him for a record transfer fee. The 28-year-old has been struggling for fitness and was nowhere near his best against the Saudis, but the inclusion of Guido Rodriguez to take his place made little sense. Chelsea midfielder on his £106.8m British record transfer from Benfica, Lionel Messi, and winning the World Cup with Argentina. Saudi Arabia came up with a bold solution: to press the space in midfield using a high defensive line. Enzo Fernandez is the latest midfield gem to be pursued by every big club in Europe, with his performances for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup catching the eye of scouts across the continent. But Messi pricked the tension seven minutes later and Fernández made it 2-0 with a brilliant shot. Fernandez made a huge name for himself at the World Cup, which he won with Argentina and he was named the Young Player of the Tournament. River Plate are owed a quarter of his future transfer fee. Despite the presence of both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy in his squad, the goalkeeping position is probably the most settled in Potter's side. (modern). LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Enzo Fernandez of Argentina poses with his young player of the tournament award during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. Aside from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Liverpool were all touted as potential destinations for Fernandez. Would Romelu Lukaku fit into a Mauricio Pochettino. 13 Player Bio HT/WT 1.78 m, 76 kg Age 22 Born 2001-01-17 Nationality ARG Which Chelsea players could suit Mauricio Pochettino's style of play? | Reims | Ligue 1 | Tactical Analysis, VIDEO – Hernan Crespo: His tactics and philosophy | Al-Duhail | 2023 | Tactical Analysis. Fernández is the club's top target. It is understood the biggest hurdle the Londoners were trying to overcome was agreeing a payment plan for the record fee with Benfica. Do Chelsea have the defenders to thrive in his 4-2-3-1? I know I’m still young and I need to keep learning but maybe tomorrow, maybe at some point in the future, I want to really demonstrate that I’m a leader.”, Chelsea’s N’Golo Kanté returns to training as club target new deal, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, © 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. The Blues teased an announcement by changing their Twitter bio to an Argentina flag followed by a trophy emoji. Stats of Enzo Fernández . Sources had earlier indicated that Chelsea could fall just short and were ready to turn their attention to completing a summer move for Fernandez because sealing a deal for this season was proving too difficult. One player more than capable of playing as an organiser in a two-man midfield is Matheus Martinelli. But there is something else. Enzo Fernandez – 2.3 (63.9%) Thiago Alcantara – 1.3 In terms of anticipation, he is also very good with regularly excellent positioning to either win the ball back or to play a role in chance creation as the play moves up the field with attacking midfield not a totally unfamiliar position to him despite his preference for a berth in the middle of the park. Curtis Jones – 0 Would Romelu Lukaku fit into a Mauricio Pochettino team? It was still 0-0 when Fernández came on. What has been particularly noteworthy is Gabriel’s versatility. . Er kommt als zentraler Mittelfeldspieler zum Einsatz. All of this is part of the game, but (and here is the other part of the explanation) Argentina have also not been at their best. Galetti said: "The Blues could make a concrete move for the Serbian, especially because the next manager, Pochettino, considers Dusan the ideal striker for his tactical idea. Jordan Henderson – 1.3 (0.3) What has happened to Lionel Messi & Co.? River were the ones who opened the door to Europe for me. He has also built a quick connection with João Félix. It was a risky strategy and only the narrowest of offsides stopped Argentina from building up an unassailable first-half lead, but the bravery of the Saudis was rewarded with a shock 2-1 comeback win. And then Rodriguez gave way to Enzo Fernandez. Sporting want the midfielder's release clause, which is said to be £51.8m ($64.3m), but the Blues would prefer to pay in installments. Liverpool could rival Los Blancos for the Borussia Dortmund star and Fernandez or Bellingham would have made sense given that Jurgen Klopp's men need a midfield overhaul of their own. Messi scored after receiving a clever pass from Angel Di Maria on the right wing; Di Maria received the ball from Enzo Fernandez. Will Messi return to Barcelona next summer? Fernandez's move to Portugal was valued at just over $20 million back in June including bonuses that may well have not yet been activated and he could be about to move for more than six times that if his release clause of around $130 million is activated. VAR: The most controversial games of the Premier League season, World Cup 2022: How every team reached the round of 16, World Cup group stage deciders: Teams in trouble, surprise packages, Heroic Messi saves Argentina's World Cup as Mexico's tactical tweaking fails, Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.). He might be a good option to come on and hold the fort when the team are protecting a lead, but he was all wrong for the Mexico game. Curtis Jones – N/A Latest on Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN The remaining point is deal structure as CFC reluctant to trigger termination clause in one payment and would prefer a staggered deal. Messi and company had not suddenly become bad players when Argentina were struggling to break down Mexico. Chelsea will push again in the next hours and days to sign Enzo Fernandez. Football Home Football Liverpool Premier League Who is Enzo Fernandez? This page contains information about a player's detailed stats. 24 . MLS Power Rankings: LAFC and FC Cincinnati lead the way, Miami stuck at rock bottom. Fernández, who says the club went “all out” to sign him, bats away suggestions that he went awol during January in an attempt to force Benfica to sell him. However, should the move go through at nearly $130 million, then the expectation on the player will be enormous when he joins Graham Potter's squad given the challenges that the Englishman faces in rejuvenating the free-spending Blues. There has been no shortage of elite clubs taking an interest in the Albiceleste star but it appears that a Premier League move is the most likely outcome at present. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. They might have lost their unbeaten record recently in a 3-0 Primeira Liga defeat to SC Braga in their final game of 2022, but Benfica are five points clear at the summit and topped their Champions League group ahead of Paris Saint-Germain thanks to a wild goal swing on the final day. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Therefore, we should focus on finding a player who can best play the role that would remain vacant. #CFC Enzo already accepted Chelsea's contract bid, but he played as he'd never disrespect Benfica.Up to Rui Costa. The eye-watering swoop for Chelsea's No 1 January target headed into the last minutes of the transfer window as both clubs spent Tuesday locked in talks over the move for the Argentina international. 'Inter Milan'? I still feel like I’m in a period of apprenticeship – a learning period, still a learning curve.”. Who can fill the void in Madrid's attack after Benzema's departure? Benfica remain unbeaten in all competitions; they topped their Champions League group, finishing ahead of PSG, while they’re running away at the top of the Primeira Liga, with 12 wins from 13. Argentina kicked on, with Fernández pulling the strings in midfield, and won an incredible final against France. Told senior Benfica leadership have been caught off guard by Chelsea's offer for Enzo Fernandez. Graham Potter has plenty of options for his Chelsea XI. And as reported by MARCA, Real Madrid have placed Fernandez on their radar in the event that they fail to land Bellingham in the summer. Thiago Alcantara – 3.2 (88.8%) Jordan Henderson – 0.3 (33.3%) David Datro Fofana is currently not part of the discussions between Chelsea and Sporting, but Chelsea are now insisting to find a solution. Personal terms had already been agreed. We analyse his strengths. Curtis Jones – 1.1 (50%) It's early, but he has all of the makings of a top midfielder and showed as much in Qatar. Curtis Jones – 61.9 (88%) Enzo stands out for his good ball dominance, offering a solid and reliable build-up option for his team, wanting the ball every moment and orchestrating the attacking phase. Now he has surely won a place in the starting XI against Poland. “It’s part of football. Here’s how his output from the Primeira Liga this season compares to the corresponding Premier League numbers of Harvey Elliott, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara. The 21-year-old is nominally a defensive midfielder, but he also possesses the skillset to burst forward and make things happen in the final third. Chelsea wanted to pay in six instalments, including one larger up-front payment. #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/RgFWLc8Tyi, — ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 26, 2022, Chances created per 90 minutes Benfica confirmed the move in a statement in the early hours of Wednesday morning after the clubs completed the necessary paperwork prior to the deadline. That’s what’s always signified my style, my play and my training – wanting to improve, wanting to be better as a footballer and as a man.”, Fernández is easy company for 30 minutes at Chelsea’s training ground. Copyright © 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. By dropping deep, it allows Veerman more space which in turn allows him to progress the ball easier and dictate the play. Harvey Elliott – 1 pic.twitter.com/eRhrJNlqzt. The Blues' goalkeeping department has also been quite lackluster over the past season, with both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga playing poorly. 1 1 1 1 Chelsea Premier League League level: First Tier Joined: Jan 31, 2023 Contract expires: Jun 30, 2031 IMAGO + Date of birth/Age: Jan 17, 2001 (22) Place of birth: San Martín Citizenship: Argentina Height: 1,78 m Position: Defensive Midfield Current international: Argentina Caps/Goals: 12 / 2 € 85.00 m Last update: Mar 16, 2023 Profile Stats I know the times – Sunday mornings we used to tune in for the Premier League. Italian journalist Rudy Galetti told GIVEMESPORT that Chelsea could make a move for Dusan Vlahovic in the summer to solve their goal-scoring problem. We take a look at how the midfielder named after Uruguay legend Enzo Francescoli has risen to prominence in such a short space of time. “But you’d have to say River was the club where I really learned my stuff.