Chelsea is prepared to make midfielder Enzo Fernandez of Benfica the most expensive acquisition in Premier League history.
The framework of a club-record £112 million contract to sign the Argentine is the subject of ongoing negotiations between the Blues and the Portuguese team.
If finalized, Fernandez would exceed Romelu Lukaku’s transfer from Inter Milan in the summer of 2021 as the most expensive acquisition in Chelsea history.
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The midfielder would also become Benfica’s biggest-ever sell and the fourth-most expensive transfer in history.
It’s believed that the 21-year-old and Chelsea have reached a personal agreement.
Fernandez even skipped Benfica training to pressure a transfer to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, one of four Premier League clubs on a UEFA financial watch list, wants to pay the transfer cost in three £37.5 million installments in order to comply with UEFA financial fair play criteria.
Recall that this EPL season, Chelsea has performed abysmally. Despite having two managers already this season and spending the most money in the most recent transfer window, the Blues are now eighth in the EPL rankings.
However, given their level of play, it should come as no surprise that Chelsea is the poorest big-team scorer and creator in the EPL thus far this season. The lowest goal total of any team currently ranked in the top half of the EPL is Graham Potter’s squad’s 19 goals