When Enzo Fernandez was not included in the match day squad which would face Arouca on Tuesday evening, it was clear the talks for the transfer to Chelsea were very advanced, especially because reports had already been claiming he was having medicals in Lisbon.
The details of the negotiations, which took place hours before the end of the transfer window, are today revealed by newspaper Record, who features another big story about the midfielder’s move to the Stamford Bridge.
The most interesting claim that is that earlier on that day, Benfica and Chelsea already had an agreement about the transfer.
That was for €100m, with Fernandez staying with the Eagles until the end of the season.
But the player himself was against that. According to Record, he ‘threatened not to play anymore and return to Argentina’.
That’s why the clubs kept negotiating for a January move.It’s said before the game against Arouca, manager Rodger Schmidt had already told Benfica’s board that it was ‘not worth keeping’ Enzo anymore.
And the agreement was found while Benfica was on the pitch, with Chelsea spending €121m to take him to London now.
