Benfica Manager Roger Schmidt has charged Chelsea for making “disrespectful” offers for their young star Enzo Fernandez.
Amid rumours about a transfer to Anfield, Fernandez became well-known among Liverpool supporters. But things are currently calm around the World Cup champion.
Instead, it is anticipated that the midfielder for Benfica will eventually sign with Chelsea. And according to rumours that the 21-year-old has made up his mind to do so.
There have been attempts to get past Benfica’s insistence that Fernandez will not depart this month until his release clause of almost £106 million is paid.
To avoid paying the total amount upfront, Chelsea is alleged to have proposed a package worth over £106 million. Hakim Ziyech and loans for David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos have also reportedly been mentioned in the rumours.
Fury has been directed towards Benfica for this and what looks to be persuading Fernandez to act without first obtaining permission to speak to the player.
Benfica coach feels Chelsea disrespected Enzo Fernandez
He said:
“There’s a club who want our player. They know we don’t want to sell the player. They tried to get the player on their side. And they know that they only can get this player when they pay the clause.
So it’s a very clear situation. What the club who want to buy Enzo is doing is disrespectful. Against all of us, against Benfica, and I cannot accept what they are doing.
So to make a player crazy and then to pretend they can pay the clause, and later they want to negotiate, I think it’s not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss about a player.
That’s what I can say about the whole topic with Enzo, and I will not answer further questions.”
It doesn’t, but the circumstance does show why Liverpool might have been cautioned against trying to sign Fernandez despite having an interest.
The five-year contract that Fernandez signed with Benfica. He only transferred from River Plate last summer, including a release clause that will allow the Portuguese team to preserve his value.
Although they may not have anticipated his meteoric rise, which included winning the World Cup’s Young Player of the Tournament title, there is precedent for this buy cheap, sell high strategy.
Although it may have been possible to sign both, it was never expected that Liverpool would also sign Fernandez. Instead, they appear to be betting on a deal for Jude Bellingham next summer.
