Big-money Chelsea flop attracting interest from European giants

Enzo Fernandez is attracting the attention of Barcelona and Inter Milan, with his Chelsea future in some doubt.

The Argentina international moved to Stamford Bridge in January 2023 in a monstrous deal worth £106.8m and on a contract running until 2031.

It was a huge show of faith in the midfielder but it has been a pretty underwhelming stint in west London for him since then.

The 23-year-old was on the bench for the trip to Manchester United on Sunday which finished 1-1, having also been a substitute in recent Premier League meetings with Newcastle and Liverpool.

Manager Enzo Maresca is preferring the midfield partnership of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who were both very expensive themselves.

The Sun report that Fernandez is keen to fight for his place with the Blues but that desire is only going to last so long and he does not intend to sit on the bench forever.

That is especially the case as there are big clubs interested in his signature, including Catalan giants Barcelona and Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan.

Cleary given the price Chelsea paid for him and with his lengthy contract still with over six years left to run, he would not come cheap for any interested party.

Maresca has played down the situation, saying the price tag is of no importance to Fernandez or team selection and he is in contention as ever.

‘They are human beings and if you pay £100m that is not my problem,’ said the Blues boss. ‘You want to buy me then you pay that money.

‘That does not mean that every game you have to be the best. At the end of the day they are football players and they cannot always be at the top level.

‘At this moment Enzo is not playing but there is no problem with Enzo. The noise about Enzo is because clubs pay so much money for them, people expect they will always be the best. That is not so.

‘The only reason he is not playing is just because the physicality I prefer is from Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.’

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