Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea: Blues ready Lisbon transfer delegation to thrash out late blockbuster deal

Chelsea are ready to send a delegation to Portugal in a bid to finalise a deal for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues have reopened talks with Benfica over Fernandez and are prepared to take their spending under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake beyond £500million.

Chelsea have stepped up efforts to sign Fernandez before Tuesday’s transfer deadline after cooling interest in Arsenal target Moises Caicedo and Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.

Fernandez emerged as a top transfer target for Chelsea at the start of the month but a move stalled after Benfica insisted he would only be sold if his £105million release clause was met.

Chelsea were reluctant to do that but have made a move for the 22-year-old Argentina midfielder their sole focus in the final days of the transfer window.

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali and head of recruitment Paul Winstanley flew to Turkey to seal an £88.5m deal with Shakhtar Donetsk for Mykhailo Mudryk earlier this month, and senior officials are on standby to travel to Lisbon in a bid to sign Fernandez.

Chelsea had wanted to spread the cost of a deal for Fernandez as they bid to stay in line with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

But Benfica president Rui Costa remains adamant that Fernandez will not be sold unless his release clause is met, which would prevent Chelsea from spreading his transfer fee across the length of his contract in their financial accounts. Talks are expected to continue.

Chelsea have already signed 16 players since they were taken over last summer and finalised a £26m deal for Lyon full-back Malo Gusto over the weekend.

The 19-year-old, who has signed a contract until 2030, will stay at Lyon on loan and finish the season in France before moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer.