Enzo Fernandez's Chelsea career so far has been an interesting one, to say the least. The Argentine midfielder has been a mainstay in the starting XI since arriving in early 2023, which is what you would expect for someone the Blues paid north of £100 million for. Also, he has consistently captained the team over the past few years, with Reece James often missing out due to injury or load management.
At the same time though, Fernandez has had his critics. There are many who believe that he is not athletic enough to succeed in the Premier League. And he is not the one dictating the game from the middle of the park in Enzo Maresca's system, instead doing his best work arriving late in the box and chipping in with goals.
Nobody can argue with the numbers that Fernandez has put up. But if you go simply by the eye test, it never feels like he is the best player on the pitch or even close to it, and sometimes, games pass him by.
As a result, there has been some speculation around his future. Chelsea regard Fernandez highly but would be willing to part ways, but only on one condition.
Chelsea ready to let Enzo Fernandez join Real Madrid on one condition
As reported by Fichajes, sources close to Chelsea indicate that the minimum fee to negotiate would be £120 million. Real Madrid have been monitoring the Argentine midfielder for months, but the valuation could leave them out of the running.
It is hard to come to a conclusion on this situation. On one hand, it is easy to see what Fernandez brings to the team, especially in terms of his output. That being said, it is hard to shake off the feeling that that is a position where the Blues can get better.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Fernandez. But as things stand, it is hard to imagine that Real Madrid or any other club would be willing to meet that £120 million valuation, even if he is regarded highly all around Europe.