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The Blues, Chelsea FC have extended Enzo Fernandez’s contract by another year, keeping him at the club until 2032.
The Blues signed the 22-year-old from Benfica at the end of the January transfer window for a British transfer record fee of £107 million.
Fernandez agreed to an eight-and-a-half-year contract extension until 2031 as the club amortised the lucrative fee – which works out at around £11 million per season – over a long period to avoid Financial Fair Play regulations.
Fernandez’s contract also included the option of an additional year.
And now, TyC Sports journalist Cesar Luis Merlo is reporting that Chelsea is to blame.
Fernandez is now under contract with Chelsea until the summer of 2032, when he will turn 31.
The decision to extend his contract just three months after joining the club comes as Uefa is rumored to be changing the rules regarding contract length.
Europe’s governing body is considering imposing a five-year limit on the length of a player’s contract in order to close the amortisation and Financial Fair Play loophole.
The Blues will extend the rest of the youngsters’ contracts
Chelsea may look to extend the contracts of January signings Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile in the coming months.
Mudryk’s contract runs until 2031, while Badiashile’s contract expires in just 12 months.
Meanwhile, Fernandez has impressed in the heart of Chelsea’s midfield since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
Interim manager Frank Lampard said of the World Cup winner being a key figure in the dressing room: “Enzo is becoming a leader, but he’s only 22 years old, so it’s difficult for us to discuss it; he’ll have to find his own path.
“Games like [the Bernabeu quarter-final first-leg tie] are a great opportunity to perform and show the personality that makes you a proper leader.”
Fernandez responded, saying: “I’ve always wanted to be a leader because I wanted to set a good example when I was younger.
“Being defined so young makes me extremely proud. I always give my all and strive to set a good example for others.”
Chelsea will look to snap a five-game losing streak when they host Brighton on Saturday.
With a win over the high-flying Seagulls, Lampard’s side could return to the top half of the Premier League table.
