Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s tenure at the top of the club has not quite started emphatically on the pitch, but he is certainly making waves in the transfer market…

What’s the word?

Having already littered Stamford Bridge with a wealth of fresh faces over the summer and during the weeks preceding the January window, Chelsea are now seemingly set to conclude a deal for Argentina’s World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are now ready for direct talks on Tuesday to finalise a deal, after pipping the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United to his name, with reports suggesting he holds a £106m release clause. 

Romano said this morning: “Chelsea and Benfica will hold new direct talks today for Enzo Fernandez. The deal is advanced as reported last week, but Rui Costa's final approval is still pending - as key step to get it done.

“Enzo has agreed terms with Chelsea last Wednesday. He wants the move.”

A new beast for Chelsea

Losing four of the five matches preceding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Chelsea manager Graham Potter will have spent the international break attempting to wedge some cohesion into the heart of his side, and distinguish new ways to bolster the efforts.

Fernandez, 21-years-old, would be a fine addition to an ambitious Premier League outfit seeking clarity over their future as one of the finest, most formidable teams in Europe. 

Having clinched the Best Young Player award alongside the coveted gilt-cloaked trophy that the select few get to taste, there was no question surrounding the intensity of the transfer rumours that would lay siege to SL Benfica for their starlet.

As per Sofascore, Fernandez’s impressive rating of 7.10 in Qatar was reference to the slick passing play and assured leadership and control that belies his tender age on the pitch.

Registering a goal and an assist, averaging 1.1 shots per match, 0.9 key passes and his 88% passing accuracy underlines the creative genius that will only blossom further at Stamford Bridge.

And by chipping in with 3.1 tackles and 1.0 interceptions every outing, his beastly, robust and all-encompassing attitude to his game is evident.

And having made 25 appearances for his Portuguese outfit this term, scoring three goals and providing five assists - following his move from his homeland in the summer - he had already established his name as one of the brightest in the division before raising the level for his country.

Quite simply, the ten-cap international would be a “game-changer” for Chelsea - as lauded by Roy Nemur - and a centrepiece to the new age at the club, dictating the pace of the club’s exploits for potentially the next decade. 

And with N'Golo Kante and Jorginho both currently set to depart Stamford Bridge upon the expiry of their respective contracts at the end of the term, the arrival of the "beast" - as hailed by reporter Ives Galarcep - that is Fernandez could signal a changing of the guard, and one that could indeed bear fruit for his new, exciting era at Chelsea.