The Argentine midfielder talked about his time in Portugal, which allowed him to reach the Premier by a record pass.
The Chelsea confirmed this Tuesday night the signing of the Argentine world champion Enzo Fernandezcoming from Benficafor a record amount for British soccer of 106.8 million pounds (121.3 million euros, 131.6 million dollars).
The 22-year-old, whose arrival at Stamford Bridge was announced by the Portuguese club, has reached an agreement for eight and a half seasons.
Chelsea made it official on their official website: “Enzo Fernández is a Blue! The Argentinian midfielder completed this transfer from Benfica to Chelsea”.
This Wednesday, Enzo is traveling to London to begin living his experience of British football. Meanwhile, he left a message for the fans of Benfica, a club in which he managed to quickly stand out, which allowed him a chance in the Argentine National Team and then the chance to play and win the Qatar World Cupwhere he was chosen the best youth soccer player in the contest.
“Much obrigado Benfiquistas. We wanted to thank my family for all the love received in these 5 months, I am grateful to God for having given me the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world”, begins Enzo’s message , with the corresponding mentions in this type of situation but with a line dedicated to the local press.
“Enjoy every moment to the fullest and always give my best. Don’t let the press stain what we built together because it was something wonderful that I had never imagined”, adds Enzo.
The comment has to do with a certain reluctance in Portugal to approve his departure for England. It is that like Chelsea, Benfica is classified to the round of 16 of the Champions League and with good expectations to advance to the round: they face Bruges from Belgium, one of the most accessible rivals of that phase.
The departure of Enzo, the great figure of the team led by Roger SchmidtNot only does the level of their squad drop considerably, but they also reinforce a direct rival in the competition (Chelsea goes against Borussia Dortmund).
That explains the discomfort of the DT, who after learning about the transfer declared: “We talked about it (with Rui Costa, president of the club). The deal is done, it’s part of football, but what matters is Benfica. I am not going to talk about players who are no longer here”.
And he added: “Benfica is much bigger than any player. We need players who are happy playing in the team. If a player decides for himself that he wants to leave and a club pays the clause, we cannot do anything“.
Enzo wanted to put aside the controversy and he preferred to focus on thanking his teammates and the Benfica staff, including his now former coach, Schmidt.
“Thanks to all the collaborators who work too hard to make the institution much bigger than it is. Thanks to my colleagues for always treating me in the best way and making me feel at home. Grateful to the club’s leadership and especially Roger Schmidt, to all your work staff for the trust and daily respect, I was very happy. Thanks BenficaI will always carry them in my heart”, Fernández closed, a few hours before putting on the Chelsea shirt for the first time.
