According to reports, Mathew Hobbs is currently in Chile conducting transfer business on behalf of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the final few hours of the transfer window. The club’s chief scout and head of recruitment is looking to finalise a £4.5 million deal for Universidad de Chile’s teenage whizzkid, and so-called ‘new Angel di Maria’, Dario Osorio.
And Hobbs will be hoping that, this time around, he returns from South America with good news.
Per Ole, the long-serving talentspotter travelled to Argentina back in July in an attempt to secure Enzo Fernandez’s signature. Arguably the finest central midfielder plying his trade in the Albiceleste nation would join Benfica in an £18 million deal just a couple of days later, however, snatching Fernandez from right under Wolves’ nose.
“We are very happy that he has joined us,” beamed Benfica coach Roger Schmidt. “(Enzo) is very talented.”
He certainly is. Dario Felman, a former Argentina international, believes Enzo Fernandez is destined to end up plying his trade at one of the Premier League’s bonafide big hitters at some point in the near future. He is more than ‘good enough’ to pull the strings at Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur, Felman says.
Wolves’ loss could be Liverpool’s gain with £18m Enzo Fernandez
But what about Liverpool?
Father Time appears to have crept up on Jurgen Klopp. Jordan Henderson, James Milner and the injury-prone Thiago Alcantara now have a combined age of 99 years old. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho will both celebrate their 30th birthdays over the next 13 months. Suddenly, this feels like a Liverpool side crying out for an infusion of fresh blood.
A move for Enzo Fernandez will have to wait until the New Year at the earliest. But that won’t stop Liverpool keeping tabs on the 21-year-old over the coming months (Sky Sports). A young, energetic, box-to-box midfielder is almost certain to be Klopp’s top priority in 2023; be it Jude Bellingham, Enzo Fernandez. Both certainly fit the bill.
Per AS, Real Madrid are watching Fernandez closely too. Not even the masterful Luka Modric can defy time forever, after all. Manchester City are another interested party.
Now, Wolves supporters are within their rights to believe – after a terrific end to the window – that Fernandez could still end up at Molineux. Sasa Kalajdzic, Goncalo Guedes and Matheus Nunes, after all, were all linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs before signing on the dotted line. Confidence, regarding Wolves’ ambition and pulling power, has been restored.
But, following July’s near miss and with Liverpool, Man City and Real Madrid already forming an orderly queue, it’s tempting to wonder if the Fernandez ship has sailed for Wolves.
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