Despite being rebuffed earlier on in the transfer window, it appears that Chelsea are throwing the kitchen sink at Benfica to get a deal for Enzo Fernández over the line.
This has been one of the big stories of the day, as multiple reports have come out stating that the Blues were ready to accommodate Benfica’s demands.
Still, no agreement has been struck, but the latest from Argentina, courtesy of César Luis Merlo, suggests that everything is heading in the right direction.
He states that ‘although nothing has been decided’, the idea that Fernández could leave for Chelsea ‘begins to take shape’.
🚨Si bien nada está decidido, comienza a tomar forma la salida de Enzo Fernández al Chelsea por €120M, pagaderos parte a la firma y el resto en 5 veces.
*️⃣Se espera por la decisión final de Rui Costa, presidente del Benfica. La operación ingresa en horas definitivas.
— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) January 30, 2023
The deal should be of €120m, with a part of that being paid up front and the rest following in five instalments.
Now, Chelsea are simply waiting for the answer of Rui Costa, Benfica’s president, who will have the final say in the matter, since the Blues are not paying the release clause all in one go.
As Merlo puts it, we are entering the ‘crucial hours’ of the deal, with the transfer window in England slamming shut, as is often said, on Tuesday evening.