The race to sign Enzo Fernandez is bordering on ridiculous at this point.
Chelsea seem to be leading the race, but they’re refusing to pay the players’ release clause right now, while Newcastle United and Liverpool are also reportedly lurking in the shadows.
Newcastle are said to be keen on Fernandez, but it looks as though Chelsea are the team with the edge in this transfer tussle.
The Blues are now looking at different strategies to sign Fernandez, and, in true Todd Boehly fashion, they’re looking at a swap deal.
According to Record, the Stamford Bridge outfit have reportedly offered both David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos on loan as well as Hakim Ziyech on a permanent basis as well as €90m (£80m) in cash.
The irony in this is that Newcastle United also want Ziyech, and now their transfer target could be used to sign another player that is wanted by the Magpies.
This would be a double blow for Newcastle as they’d miss out on both Ziyech and Fernandez due to this deal.
It’s even more painful when you note that the Magpies were also in for Andrey Santos before he moved to Chelsea, with Graeme Bailey recently stating that Newcastle actually thought they had a deal for the Brazilian done and dusted before the Blues swooped.
Newcastle are, of course, in a much better position in the Premier League than Chelsea at the moment, but if the west Londoners get their January transfer recruitment right, they could well begin to make up some ground on Eddie Howe’s side.
Whether or not Benfica go for this deal or not remains to be seen, but it has to be said that this is a very tempting proposal from Chelsea and one that will need a lot of consideration.
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