Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has insisted that he ‘doesn’t foresee’ reported Liverpool transfer target Enzo Fernandez leaving the club.
In quotes from Record, Schmidt claimed that Fernandez won’t be leaving in the January transfer window.
“My son likes Enzo, the way he plays and so do I. Everybody likes him, plays good football. My family has always grown up in the middle of football, my wife and son have been to the stadium, they like the clubs where I am. I don’t foresee not having Enzo after the World Cup, he’s where he’s supposed to be to develop. It’s very good for him and for us if we stay a while longer at Benfica,” said the German coach.
“See. I think he’s in excellent form, he’s recovering very well, he’s been able to rest in the selection, of course there’s been the moves. On Tuesday made an excellent game. Today he was fresh in training, he’s young, it wouldn’t be a problem for him to play tomorrow [Saturday].
Enzo planning for life after Lisbon
Despite what Schmidt says, it only looks like a matter of time before Fernandez finds himself moving away from Lisbon. The 21-year-old has been making quite a name for himself in the Benfica midfield this season.
That form has led to call-up for Argentina and a possible place in their World Cup squad.
It has also reportedly led to him being placed firmly on Liverpool’s radar as they hunt for a new midfielder.
As all of football is aware, every player at Benfica is up for sale. The club has one of the best records in the European game for turning a big profit on expectational talent.
Having already done business with them recently for Darwin Nunez, Liverpool know this better than most. They also know that the Portuguese giants drive a pretty hard bargain.
If they do want go full steam ahead for Fernandez in the January window, it’s clear that they’ll have to pay top dollar. But should Liverpool wait until the summer, they could also run the risk of other clubs becoming involved.
Whether or not they want to pursue Fernandez with any vigour this winter may well depend on where they lie in the Premier League table.
Their form at the moment would suggest that they could do with some new blood in the new year. Schmidt insists that that won’t be his player. But everyone has their price.
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