Chelsea have reportedly placed a €120 million valuation on Enzo Fernandez, with Real Madrid among several top European clubs showing interest in the Argentine midfielder, Soccernet.football reports.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the La Liga giants see Fernandez as a potential successor to Luka Modric, who is nearing the twilight of his career at 39.
Fernandez’s future at Stamford Bridge has become a topic of speculation in recent weeks.
Since October, the 23-year-old has seen limited action in the Premier League under manager Enzo Maresca, with Romeo Lavia preferred in midfield.
Despite this, Fernandez delivered a standout performance in Chelsea’s Europa Conference League 8-0 thrashing of FC Noah, providing three assists, and impressed off the bench against Arsenal before the November international break.
Chelsea are reportedly open to recouping a fee close to the €121 million they paid Benfica for Fernandez last year.
While Barcelona and Inter Milan have also expressed interest, Real Madrid appear poised to lead the chase.
There is even talk of potential swap deals involving Barcelona’s Marc Casado or Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, although Real Madrid have not signaled willingness to include any of their stars in negotiations.
Despite the speculation, Maresca has publicly backed Fernandez, dismissing any suggestion of declining faith in the World Cup winner.
“I still trust Enzo,” Maresca said. “There is no reason in the world I can lose confidence in him. He’s not playing at the moment because of a different decision, but he’s going to play for sure in the future.”
Fernandez remains a valuable asset for Chelsea, but as the January window approaches, the Blues could face a tough decision on his long-term role.