Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is facing an uncertain spell at Stamford Bridge after Xabi Alonso’s side delivered their verdict on two possible summer replacements for the Argentina international.
Former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink thinks the club can find a suitable replacement if Fernandez departs the London club. The ex-Blues striker also believes his former team should consider Manchester United-linked Gavi or Aurelien Tchouameni as potential alternatives.
Manchester City are eager to acquire Fernandez after Rodri’s move to Barcelona this summer. While Enzo Maresca’s side failed to meet a £120million valuation before Chelsea’s August 14 deadline, reports indicate they remain willing to make a late offer.
The 25-year-old received a lukewarm response during his first pre-season outing for Alonso’s side on Saturday. A number of jeers echoed around the stadium after he entered the pitch as a substitute during the Blues’ 3-1 victory against Real Sociedad.
This comes after he netted the leveller in this summer’s World Cup semi-final triumph over England. The Argentina international marked the moment by cupping his ears towards the crowd.
Hasselbaink, who made 177 appearances for Chelsea, has spoken exclusively to football.london about what could await Fernandez in west London.
Supporters are emotional, he stated. They want their voices to be heard. When Fernandez represents Chelsea, he appears as a different player and individual compared to when he represents Argentina.
Everyone has witnessed how Argentinian players perform for their national team. He has performed exceptionally for both Argentina and Chelsea.
People are entitled to their own views. He made certain gestures while representing Argentina, so he must accept there will be consequences since he continues playing in England. That is the situation.
Clearly, supporters were displeased with his conduct, but we should not overlook that he is an outstanding player. I believe supporters recognise this, and understand it, though they would likely prefer him to behave with greater respect.
Questions will emerge regarding how Chelsea can replace a player who featured 54 times across all competitions last season. However, Hasselbaink is not overly worried and believes either Barcelona’s Gavi or Real Madrid’s Tchouameni could serve as an excellent successor.
He is a tremendous player who has scored crucial goals, but I believe he can be replaced. I think sufficient options exist in the market to fulfil the role, perhaps in a different manner.
Had Fernandez departed, I would have liked to see Youri Tielemans, but he has already moved to Manchester United. That would have been an affordable acquisition. You want someone in the market who, if Fernandez leaves, is slightly older, around 26 or 27, arriving from a major club like Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Sources suggest Gavi could leave Barcelona, though he rejected a move to Manchester United. The reality is, when you allow Fernandez to leave and bring in someone else, you must adapt your approach slightly, similar to how City now operate without Rodri.
City will not locate another Rodri, so they must adjust their style. The same applies to Chelsea – if Fernandez leaves, someone else must fill that position. Reece James could handle it, though he is not as attacking as Fernandez.
Internally, they possess enough options – Romeo Lavia, Reece James – all capable of doing the job, but I would think if Fernandez leaves, the club would want additional recruitment to strengthen that midfield area. I would welcome Gavi or Aurelien Tchouameni. Clearly, that would require significant investment. I am uncertain whether Chelsea are willing to proceed, but I would like one of those two players to arrive and strengthen the squad, because when they enter the dressing room, immediately a major player arrives. That sends a message to the other players.
Chelsea have struggled to secure a reliable scoring striker for some time. Premier League champions Arsenal have been mentioned in recent weeks regarding Victor Osimhen, who found the net 22 times last season for Galatasaray, but Hasselbaink does not necessarily think the Blues should attempt to hijack any deal.
The 54-year-old stated that Osimhen is an excellent striker, there is no question about that. They have Joao Pedro, who has performed very well.
It appears Nicolas Jackson may be departing. I have always been someone who really appreciated Jackson because he puts defenders under pressure and creates numerous opportunities. His conversion rate does not match the number of chances he manufactures, but he generates them, and having them is preferable to not having them at all.
I do not think they absolutely must sign a top-class number nine. That always helps, but Joao Pedro has demonstrated he can handle it. How would signing Osimhen impact Joao Pedro? Additionally, without European competition, how many matches will be played?
I believe the squad in that department is sufficient. Obviously, Osimhen is a magnificent striker. If they were in the Champions League right now, I would recommend pursuing Osimhen.
While supporters may still hope for more new arrivals, several players in Alonso’s squad could still leave before the 11pm cutoff on September 1. Eyebrows were raised when Chelsea placed a £100m valuation on winger Pedro Neto, who has attracted interest from City and Saudi Pro League clubs.
When questioned about whether the asking price was excessive, Hasselbaink responded that it was not, because Chelsea have no desire to sell him. He does not need to leave. No provisions were made for his departure, so it is full price or Chelsea are perfectly content to retain him.
He is a player who contributes goals. He holds significant importance. Without Champions League or European football, there is less requirement for squad rotation, but he has consistently featured in the starting lineup, so I understand Chelsea’s position, but ultimately, every player has a price, so they have set theirs.
Mykhailo Mudryk, meanwhile, appears more likely to depart. The Ukrainian, an £88.5m acquisition from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, has been linked with newly-promoted Coventry City, managed by Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.
When asked whether Chelsea should prioritise negotiations with Coventry given the Lampard connection, Hasselbaink said he believes so. Frank clearly knows him and has worked with him. I believe it works both ways. Frank requires a player with that level of pace for most matches.
With all due respect to Coventry, they will not be dominating possession, so they will likely need to adopt a counterattacking approach for the majority of games. They require quick players and Mudryk fits that profile perfectly. From Mudryk’s perspective, he needs to resurrect his career.
He needs to join someone who understands him and will provide support and patience to get his career back on track. He has experienced considerable difficulties, so he requires someone who will offer encouragement and assistance, and I believe Frank already shares a relationship with him, so I can see how that arrangement could benefit both parties.