Chelsea have completed the £115million signing of Enzo Fernandez, making him the Premier League’s most expensive player ever, it has been announced.
The Blues had been tracking the Argentine star after his impressive displays at the World Cup and are confident of securing his signature in a record-breaking move.
The Blues were willing to pay Fernandez’s £105m release clause with a big up front fee and five further smaller instalments.
talkSPORT understands the deal will rise to £115m with bonuses – Fernandez signing an eight-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge with a potential option to a further year.
The fee doubles the January deadline day record, which currently stands at £56m when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund.
It also sees Fernandez surpass Jack Grealish – who cost Man City £100m in 2021 – as English football’s most expensive signing.
Fernandez only joined Benfica last summer for a fee just under £9million. His former club River Plate will be due a 25 per cent sell-on fee.
It caps off a very busy transfer window for Chelsea, who have made eight signings in January, spending over £300m in the process.
Earlier in January, they signed Ukraine forward Mykhailo Murdyk, beating Arsenal to the £88m signing.
They spent £30m on England youth star Noni Madueke, £35m on defender Beniot Badiashile from Monaco and a further £31m on young Lyon defender Malo Gusto.
More modest fees were spent David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos as well as the loan signing of Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid.
