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Chelsea remain in dialogue with Benfica over a deal for midfielder Enzo Fernandez during the January transfer window

Chelsea remain in dialogue with Benfica over a deal for midfielder Enzo Fernandez during the January transfer window

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Representatives from Chelsea held a crucial meeting with counterparts from Benfica this morning (Monday) as the clubs discuss the possible sale of Enzo Fernandez.

football.london understands a meeting was held this morning in Portugal with the Blues looking to wrap up the deal that will cost them around £105million. Chelsea are willing to pay the release fee, albeit they would rather do it in multiple instalments, and are confident a deal can be agreed.

Chelsea opened initial talks with Benfica around the start of the month but the clubs could not reach an agreement over the structure of the transfer. Weeks on, though, Chelsea reopened negotiations and are more confident than ever a deal can be concluded.

READ MORE: Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea transfer: All the latest news from the Blues' push for the Benfica midfielder

Fernandez has been so impressive for Benfica since signing for the club from River Plate in the summer of 2022. His form earned him a call-up to the Argentina senior squad for the first time just a few months later and he then went on to represent his country at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar – with Lionel Scaloni's men eventually winning the competition.

The Chelsea target played such a huge role in his country's success and there were countless links to the Premier League, rather unsurprisingly, as a result. Fernandez played every game for Argentina, including that thrilling final against France that saw La Albiceleste win the match via a dramatic penalty shootout.

Prior to the tournament, Fernandez was compared to football icon Zinedine Zidane by former Real Madrid coach Jose Peseiro. The Argentine coach said he shares many of the same attributes with Zidane, including, critically, his eye for a pass.

Speaking to A Bola last year, Peseiro said: "[Fernandez's] surprising passes and vision are similar to those of Zidane, who sometimes solved a play just by the way he recovered a ball. Enzo is 21-years-old, either that is a lie or he is amazing."

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Todd Boehly announce new Chelsea manager