Schmidt: Benfica must be prepared to lose Chelsea target Enzo Fernandez if release clause is met

Benfica boss Roger Schmidt has admitted they cannot prevent Chelsea target Enzo Fernandez leaving if a club is willing to pay the World Cup winner’s release clause.

Chelsea have been desperate to sign the 22-year-old throughout the January window and, having been met with resistance, the Blues are now confident they will get a deal over the line after reportedly launching a £115m bid.

The Blues had an offer of around £75m plus bonuses rejected for Fernandez earlier in the month. They then saw a bid of £112m – £6m more than his release clause – rejected as it was structured to be paid in three instalments totalling £37.3m each over three years. 

Chelsea have made several attempts to buy Fernandez and now feel confident about getting the deal over the line

But after it emerged that Chelsea had reopened talks so sign Fernandez, Schmidt said, as per A BOLA: ‘While the transfer windows are open, we have to be prepared for anything. 

‘We all know that there is this situation with Enzo, who has a release clause and, if there is a club that pays it, it is a lot of money, we cannot prevent it.

‘If that happens, we will have to be prepared and find solutions. At the moment, Enzo is still our player and we’ll see what happens until the end of the market. 

Chelsea are understood to be meeting Benfica officials in Lisbon on Tuesday and are prepared to pay his £106m release clause

‘When the transfer window closes I will be very happy, we will be able to focus completely again on playing in the best way until the end of the season.

′He’s our player and he has all the support. As I said before, he is a great person and a great player. While the market is open you always have to wait for something to happen, we know how the football business works. That’s all I can say on this subject.’

There are still negotiations ongoing in regard to the payment structure of Chelsea’s bid but the west London…