© Getty Images
Benfica coach Roger Schmidt lashed out at Chelsea on Thursday. The German, who previously had PSV under his wing for two seasons, is not at all pleased with the way the English club is trying to get Enzo Fernández to London.
Vincent Van GenechtenBron: The Telegraph
It’s all going very fast for Fernández. He has already impressed in the Champions League this season, including against PSG and Juventus, and made his debut for the Argentina national team in September. He started the World Cup as a substitute, but after his great goal in the second game against Mexico, he came into the team and did not leave. Less than three months after his international debut, there was already a World Cup and a prize for best youngster at the World Cup in his trophy cabinet.
Fernández’s contract, who came over from River Plate in the summer, states that he can leave for a lump sum payment of 120 million euros.
According to Schmidt, Chelsea is now trying to get out of that amount. “There is a club that wants our player,” Schmidt said without mentioning Chelsea’s name. “They know we don’t want to sell the player. They are now trying to drive the player crazy and say they can afford the clause. By driving him crazy like that, they try to get Fernández on their side. And later they want to negotiate that clause. It is disrespectful to Benfica and to all of us. I cannot accept that.”
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
Fernández, who was the only Argentinian to miss a penalty kick in the penalty shootout in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands, was named best young player at the World Cup. Chelsea are having a disappointing season so far and are only tenth. On Thursday, the club strengthened itself with the French international Benoît Badiashile from AS Monaco.
Leader Benfica suffered the first defeat of the season at SC Braga (3-0) last week. The departure of a strongman like Fernàndez would of course also be a boost for Club Brugge, which will receive Benfica next month (February 15) in the 1/8th finals of the Champions League. The second leg in Lisbon is not until March 7.
© Getty Images
