Enzo Fernandez has praised the Chelsea hierarchy for their relentlessness in signing him from Benfica on deadline day.
The Blues confirmed on Tuesday morning that World Cup-winner Fernandez had completed his British record £106.8million transfer from Benfica after negotiations went to the final hours of a dramatic transfer deadline day.
Benfica were first to announce the signing overnight and Chelsea hailed Fernandez’s capture on Wednesday morning.
“I am grateful to Chelsea and its ownership for doing everything they could to make me a part of this project,” the 22-year-old told the club’s official website.
“I’m happy and excited to join the Pride of London, to play in the best league in the world and to compete for the biggest trophies.
“I can’t wait to play in front of our fans and help my team-mates on and off the pitch.”
The PA news agency understands that Fernandez underwent a medical in Lisbon on Tuesday evening as the clubs worked towards an agreement, with divisions relating to the instalments in which the fee will be paid taking the deal down to the wire.
Fernandez becomes the eighth signing of a frantic window for the Blues, with a total January spend by owner Todd Boehly of around £318m.
“In Enzo we are signing a World Cup winner and one of the brightest talents in global football,” said Boehly.
“We are excited to add him to Graham’s (Potter) squad and we are sure he will form an important part of our team going forward.
“Enzo has demonstrated his ability at the very highest levels so we’re looking forward to seeing what he will do in Chelsea blue!”
Fernandez, who won the Silver Ball for best young player during Argentina’s triumphant World Cup in Qatar last year, has signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, in keeping with the club’s policy this season of signing players on lengthy terms in order to spread their outgoings and remain within UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.
It takes the Blues’ spending since Boehly bought the club last May to more than £550m, though PA understands that UEFA is set to close the loophole that has allowed for such a large outlay by limiting the length that such deals can be spread over to five years.
It has been a meteoric rise to prominence for Fernandez, who joined Benfica from from River Plate in Argentina only seven months ago for £8.8m, but his stock soared after a successful start to the season in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, leading him to command a British…
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