Enzo Fernandez

Born in San Martin on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in January 2001, Enzo Fernandez joined River Plate aged just five, having stood out playing for his ...

Fernandez scored 10 goals and registered six assists in 26 appearances for River in league and cup, cementing himself as the box-to-box midfielder he had always aspired to be. He had his third winners’ medal in the same calendar year. Fernandez and the Hawks’ star burned brightest in the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League. As his fitness and flexibility improved, so did his recovery skills in the middle of the park, suiting Defensa y Justicia’s pressing style. Always a central midfielder, Fernandez progressed through River’s fabled academy system and was called up to the reserve squad early in 2019. Born in San Martin on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in January 2001, Enzo Fernandez joined River Plate aged just five, having stood out playing for his local team Club La Recova.

Chelsea announced the £105 million ($130m) signing of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez on Tuesday in a dramatic final act of the January window.

The Blues had also pursued Moises Caicedo late in the window, while they sold Jorginho to Arsenal and [decided to keep Conor Gallagher](https://www.goal.com/en/news/chelsea-wont-sell-conor-gallagher-jorginho-exit/blt9f59caec3cdfd10d) in a string of high-stakes midfield decisions. THE BIGGER PICTURE: Fernandez joins Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Joao Felix as January arrivals to Stamford Bridge. It's one of the busiest winter periods any club has ever had - a reflection of Chelsea's urgent desire to finish the season strongly.

Chelsea has splurged a British world record fee of £106.8 million ($129.18 million) to complete the signing of Argentina and Benfica midfielder Enzo ...

Chelsea has splurged a British world record fee of £106.8 million ($129.18 million) to complete the signing of Argentina and Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez following complex negotiations on the deadline day. For Benfica, the midfielder had contributed in 11 goals, scoring four and assisting seven in 29 appearances. Enzo emerged on the global scene after his breakthrough performance during Argentina’s World Cup-winning campaign in Qatar where he not only broke into the starting XI in every game, he also won the Young Player award. They next face Fulham on Friday. The London-based club has landed Enzo on eight-and-a-half year deal, making him the most expensive player in the Premier League history. Enzo's transfer is now the most expensive in Premier League history.

Chelsea have signed Benfica and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for €121m, but what do you need to know about the youngster?

At that time they told me that they preferred to wait because he was very young and I told them that it was better for him to make the move from that moment on because it took a while to adapt to the big pitch. He is a spectacular person, very humble and a very important player for us." He has been giving us many solutions and the most remarkable thing is that he knows that if he plays for the team he will continue to stand out." [quoted in La Pagina Millonaria in December](https://lapaginamillonaria.com/riverplate/Scaloni-sobre-Enzo-Fernandez-Es-un-chico-que-tiene-un-futuro-enorme-20221208-0005.html): "He's made huge progress and we are very happy with his contribution. But will he still be as efficient when the pace of the game is taken up a notch, the pressing is more intense and there's less time on the ball? And therein lays the tricky nature of labelling him: he's so complete that it is hard to put him in a defined positional box. He also helped the club to top their UEFA Champions League group ahead of [Paris Saint-Germain](/football/team?id=160) and [Juventus](/football/team?id=111) and reach the knockout stages. While only 5-foot-10 and slight of build, the 22-year-old goes a long way to compensate his physical limitations with tenacity and character. [Chelsea made the move to secure his signature](/football/soccer-transfers/story/4865591/chelsea-sign-enzo-fernandez-from-benfica-after-meeting-120m-release-clause-sources) ahead of their rivals on deadline day. [Poland](/football/team?id=471) on, he cemented his place in the first XI. Now [Chelsea](/football/team?id=363) have made him a Premier League-record transfer, and one of the most expensive players in the world, with a €121m transfer. Benfica snapped him up in the summer of 2022 and gave him the No.

Fernandez's transfer takes Chelsea's total outlay on players since last May's takeover by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake ...

It takes Chelsea's transfer spending in January alone to more than 300 million pounds. "Sport Lisboa e Benfica - Futebol, SAD informs that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea FC for the sale of all the rights of the player Enzo Fernandez, for an amount of 121,000,000 euros," a Benfica statement read. Premier League side Chelsea completed the signing of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record 106.8 million pounds (USD131.46 million) on Wednesday after a day of complex negotiations between the clubs.

The deal surpasses Manchester City's previous Premier League record payment of GBP 100 million for Jack Grealish's transfer from Aston Villa in 2021.

In the Premier League, Chelsea is currently in 10th place, 10 points off of the top four. On Friday, they will host their rivals Fulham in the Premier League. [Enzo Fernandez](/topic/enzo-fernandez) after paying the midfielder's EUR 121 million (USD 131 million/GBP 106 million) release clause in a record-breaking deal.

Why have Chelsea broken the British transfer record by signing Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for more than £105m?; the Argentine deep-lying playmaker has ...

He has been one of the league's top tacklers, and only 10 players across the division have won the ball back more in the middle third despite his considerable output further up the pitch. Fernandez has already taken responsibility without the ball at Benfica, slotting into an anchorman role regularly as required. Chelsea's January-long pursuit of Enzo Fernandez has ended with a fee which breaks the British transfer record. The Blues have, among other issues, a major goalscoring problem. The comparison was made by Fernandez's old youth coach Gabriel Rodriguez. The backdrop of Todd Boehly's seemingly endless month of spending does add some context.

The January window was a watershed moment for WSL; British police chiefs apologize for role in Hillsborough.

JWS](https://justwomenssports.com/lynn-williams-gotham-kansas-city-trade-shock-uswnt/) ESPN](https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4865569/bayern-munich-sign-man-citys-joao-cancelo-on-loan-with-70m-permanent-option) AP News](https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-paris-saint-germain-fc-lionel-messi-54f0a48fd2e6be7f0619b439bb3099c8) The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/31/once-manchester-citys-sibling-nyc-fc-is-now-more-like-a-distant-cousin) [Sky Blue FC](https://www.onceametro.com). Cremonese (Coppa Italia) — Paramount+ [Alessia Russo: Man Utd reject second world-record bid from Arsenal - BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64468747) Torino (Coppa Italia) — Paramount+ USA Today](https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fsoccer%2F2023%2F01%2F30%2Fsounders-relishing-meaning-opportunity-at-club-world-cup%2F51238321%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sounderatheart.com%2F2023%2F2%2F1%2F23580085%2Fchelsea-set-british-transfer-record-for-enzo-fernandez) [Notre Dame](https://www.onefootdown.com). ](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/orlando-city-sign-iceland-international-midfielder-dagur-dan-thorhallsson) [MLSSoccer.com](http://MLSSoccer.com) [NYCFC](https://www.hudsonriverblue.com) once helped itself to some of the Premier League side’s best young players. [Seattle Sounders](https://www.sounderatheart.com) will become the first team from the United States and MLS to participate in the tournament.

The fee surpassed the 100 million pounds (then $139 million) that Manchester City paid Aston Villa for England international Jack Grealish in August 2021.

With Defensa y Justicia, Fernandez won Copa Sudamericana and Recopa Sudamericana, before returning to River Plate last year in a title-winning campaign. Earlier, Messi had given his team lead with a long-range effort in the 64th minute. He made his debut for senior side in 2019 before playing two seasons on loan for Defensa y Justicia, another Argentine club.

Chelsea announced on their official website: "Enzo Fernandez is a Blue! The Argentinian midfielder has completed his transfer from Benfica to Chelsea."