With Real Madrid looking for reinforcements in the midfield department in the summer transfer window, links to Chelsea mainstay Enzo Fernandez have surfaced.
The Argentine World Cup winner is a player that Los Blancos have monitored from his days at River Plate and then at Benfica before he ended up at Chelsea in January 2023 in a deal worth €121 million.
Despite having had his fair share of ups and downs, Enzo has established himself as a key figure at Stamford Bridge, even becoming one of the club captains this season.
As such, previous reports had suggested that Chelsea see the Argentine international as untouchable and would not consider his sale.
However, as per the latest reports from England (h/t Fichajes), Chelsea have seemingly changed their stance: they are open to selling Enzo Fernandez this summer, but only if their financial demands are met.
Indeed, the Blues have informed Real Madrid that any club wishing to sign the Argentine midfielder will have to pay €200 million.
This valuation has caused concern at the Spanish capital club, who have no intention of meeting the figure set by Chelsea.
Real Madrid are keen on reinforcing their midfield after not replacing Toni Kroos last summer while Luka Modric could also be moving on this year.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the performances of Eduardo Camavinga, who has been unable to take the next step this season, leading to question marks about his future.
As such, Enzo is seen as someone who could be a good fit at Real Madrid because of his technical profile and tactical intelligence.
However, Chelsea’s high asking price significantly complicates any potential negotiations in the short term. At 24 years old, Enzo remains one of the most sought-after players in his position, and the Blues have no urgency to negotiate below what they believe is a fair price.
As such, Real Madrid, despite holding an interest in the Argentine, continue to explore the market with other options in mind, including Joao Neves of PSG and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.