Chelsea sign Enzo Fernandez in British-record transfer deal: Details here
What's the story
Premier League side Chelsea have signed Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British-record £106.8m.
The deal has now surpassed the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish from Aston Villa 18 months ago.
The 22-year-old, who joined Benfica last summer for around £10m, has signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal, until the summer of 2031.
Here are further details.
Chelsea
Chelsea keep splashing the money
The 22-year-old World Cup winner's arrival takes Chelsea's January spending to somewhere about £288m, according to transfer website Transfermarkt.
Chelsea had earlier shelled out a hefty sum of £292m in the summer which is a record for a British club in the summer window.
And now the January outlay takes their total spend under new American owner Todd Boehly to £580m.
Fernandes
A look at the costliest signings
Neymar [Barcelona - Paris Saint-Germain] £200m in 2017
Kylian Mbappe [Monaco - Paris Saint-Germain] £166m in 2017
Philippe Coutinho [Liverpool - Barcelona] £142m in 2018
Ousmane Dembele [Borussia Dortmund - Barcelona] £135m in 2017
Joao Felix [Benfica - Atletico Madrid] £113m in 2019
Antoine Griezmann [Atletico Madrid to Barcelona] £107m in 2019
Enzo Fernandez [Benfica to Chelsea] £106.8m in 2023
Information
Chelsea bring in several players
Chelsea have already signed Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile, and Malo Gusto on permanent deals in January. They have also roped in Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid. And now, Fernandes comes in.
Numbers
Analyzing Fernandez's numbers in 2022-23 for Benfica
Fernandez played 29 games for Benfica, scoring four goals in 2022-23. Fernandez played 17 games in the Primeira Liga, scoring once.
As per Opta, he made 93 ball recoveries, completed 1,431 passes, and made 40 tackles.
Fernandez won nine aerial duels, 66 ground duels, 3 clearances, 15 interceptions, and three blocks.
PL buys
Record Premier League buy!
Enzo Fernandez: Benfica to Chelsea, January 2023 - £106.8m
Jack Grealish: Aston Villa to Manchester City, summer 2021 - £100m
Romelu Lukaku: Inter Milan to Chelsea, summer 2021 - £97.5m
Romelu Lukaku: Everton to Manchester United, summer 2017 - £90m
Paul Pogba: Juventus to Manchester United, summer 2016 - £89m
Mykhailo Mudryk: Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea, January 2022 - £88.5m