Liverpool pulled out of the running to sign Chelsea new-boy Enzo Fernandez, after baulking at Benfica’s valuation.
Before the Blues blew everyone out the water, Liverpool were said to be heavily interested in signing Enzo. But as per Goal, the Reds withdrew their interest after being quoted £60m for the 22-year-old. Liverpool reportedly weren’t the only club to do so, either.
Chelsea, obviously, didn’t. Todd Boehly and co ended up paying over £100m for Fernandez as they smashed through the British transfer record.
Only time will tell whether or not Liverpool made the correct decision here. So far, the Argentina international has looked a good signing for Chelsea. £60m would have been more than palatable, but with Boehly hanging around, that was never going to be the final price.
Liverpool not prepared to break the bank on Enzo
It’s a shame that Liverpool weren’t prepared to get serious with their interest in Enzo. The midfielder would have been more or less perfect for what Jurgen Klopp needs now. When Lionel Messi calls you ‘spectacular,’ you know you’re good.
But this little anecdote is indicative of just how ridiculous-a fee Chelsea have paid for the World Cup-winner.
Put into the context of his eventual cost, £60m doesn’t sound so bad. In reality though, even that would have been a lot to pay for a player as inexperienced as Fernandez.
Perhaps had Chelsea not managed to push through the last-minute deal, that would have been the price come the summer.
With another half-season at Benfica under his belt, that would maybe have been a fair deal too. For Chelsea though, waiting was obviously too great-a risk to take.
Having reportedly heard rumours that two clubs were preparing nine-figure offers for Enzo in the summer, the Blues felt they had to move.
In the end, they got their man. When all is said and done, they’ll be happy regardless of how much they overpaid by.
For Liverpool, the search for the right midfield signing goes on. There’s a parallel universe where Fernandez doesn’t end up going to the World Cup and subsequently joins the Reds for a reasonable sum this summer alongside Jude Bellingham. Back in this reality, that was never going to happen.