Simon Jordan believes Chelsea just delivered a major transfer blow to Liverpool. The Reds just lost their strong position.
Chelsea shocked everyone last night as they signed Enzo Fernández from Benfica for a British record fee. Per the BBC, they paid £107m for the midfielder.
It’s a staggering amount and a number that would have been absolutely unthinkable just two months ago. After all, Benfica only signed Enzo in the summer from River Plate for around £10m. That’s some turnaround.
Enzo is now the most expensive midfielder ever. Again, few could have predicted that before the World Cup but his performances there saw his value skyrocket. Enough that Chelsea viewed him as a player they simply had to sign.
It’s a blow for Liverpool. They were linked heavily with Enzo before and during the tournament. We hoped he’d still be available in the summer – for a few reasons. One of those was so he could act as an alternative to Jude Bellingham.
The Englishman is the Reds’ preferred target but they might not get him. Having Enzo there could have softened the blow, while also making negotiations with Borussia Dortmund a little easier.
After all, Liverpool wouldn’t have been in quite such a desperate position if they did have an alternative. Now Dortmund hold all the cards – as Simon Jordan points out.
Liverpool face uphill battle in Jude Bellingham transfer
“Obviously Dortmund are going to be sitting there rubbing their hands because of the situation that Liverpool now find themselves in,” Jordan told TalkSPORT. “I hate this conversation because of the ridiculous values put on footballers.
“But if you’re talking about this kid Fernandez going to Chelsea from Benfica for £105million, then you’re looking at Bellingham and all that goes with him and you’re starting to move into the territory of £125m or £150m.
“They won’t be asking for it on the drip, either. Dortmund will be saying, ‘We’ve got a load of suitors, so you pay it and you pay it now’.
That’s certainly now the concern. Not only is Bellingham really the only signing in his class but he’s also a better signing than Enzo. He’s younger, more experienced at the top level, and carries homegrown status for English clubs.
Dortmund will know this and could push the price up. Few could argue if they did.
The ‘hope’ will be that the summer window allows for a bit more flexibility with the fee. Dortmund could recognise that Enzo was really a one-off and that teams won’t pay much more to get Bellingham. That’s certainly the dream we’re holding onto.
As things stand, though, Liverpool undoubtedly find themselves in a tough position.