The transfer deadline has passed without any official announcement from either Chelsea or Benfica of the completion of Enzo Fernández’s transfer, but we can (probably) rest assured that there will be no more shenanigans or about-faces or whatever, and that the 22-year-old will soon be posing in Chelsea Blue. But it takes time to get those poses, with just the right amount of Blue Steel.
Social media is obviously a big deal (and it seems Chelsea’s official accounts are embracing it in an increasingly memeified way, much to your anger as an old man), and we’ll certainly be milking Enzo’s announcement, arrival, etc. for all of that can we.
Somehow I have to pay this fee!
Chelsea have it all in terms of paperwork, deal sheet, medicine and private jet so there shouldn’t be a problem completing the move even if no announcement is made before or at 11pm #cfc https://t.co/2gDMt85gpX
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) January 31, 2023
Speaking of the fee, Benfica confirmed last night (well, 30 minutes past midnight local time) that Chelsea would pay a total of €121m – reports have this in a total of six installments, the first being larger than the others at €40m – which includes the various accruals to be made in relation to solidarity payments; and the 25 percent due to River Plate under their summer resale agreement.
The €121m (£106.75m) is a new Premier League record for an inbound transfer, beating Jack Grealish’s £100m transfer from Aston Villa to Manchester City a couple of seasons ago. The most expensive transfer involving a Premier League team remains Philippe Coutinho’s still hilarious £135+45m transfer from Liverpool in January 2018 hard he probably didn’t hit all the bonuses.
Anyway, now we’re just waiting for the announcement video, which will hopefully be more Hi and less without a trace.