When Chelsea shattered the Premier League transfer record to sign Enzo Fernández for £106 million in January 2023, expectations couldn’t have been higher. The 23-year-old Argentine arrived at Stamford Bridge fresh off winning the World Cup, poised to transform the Blues’ midfield. Yet his first 18 months in England proved far from smooth sailing.
“When I arrived it was very difficult, the first year and a half here,” Fernández admits in an exclusive interview with ESPN. “Change of coaches, the club wasn’t doing well, personal injuries.” The precocious playmaker struggled to find his footing amidst the turmoil, with Chelsea floundering in the bottom half of the table.
Maresca’s Arrival Sparks Revival
The summer of 2024 brought winds of change to West London with the appointment of Italian manager Enzo Maresca. The 43-year-old, who led Leicester City to the Championship title the previous season, immediately set about reshaping the Chelsea squad to his liking. For Fernández, it meant a subtle but significant shift in his midfield responsibilities.
“I learned the position in which I had to play, over time I got the idea of what the coach wanted,” Fernández explains. “He explained to me what he wanted and I was getting the concept, reading the games. There is still a long way to go.” That steep learning curve saw the Argentine briefly dropped from the starting XI in the early weeks of the campaign.
“On a personal level I have been feeling very good. The team has shown a very strong character, always working and with humility and showing that great things can be achieved.”
Enzo Fernández on his Chelsea resurgence
Fernández Thriving in New Role
Since being restored to the lineup after the November international break, Fernández has been a man transformed. Operating in a more advanced role, the Argentine has scored 3 goals and provided 3 assists in his last 5 Premier League outings. His energy, vision and tenacity have been central to Chelsea’s surge up the table.
“I have been feeling very good,” Fernández beams, his confidence restored. “The team has shown a very strong character, always working and with humility and showing that great things can be achieved.” With the Blues now just 4 points off leaders Liverpool, whispers of an unlikely title challenge are beginning to circulate around Stamford Bridge.
Overcoming Adversity and Injury
Fernández’s renaissance is all the more impressive given the challenges he’s had to overcome. In addition to the managerial merry-go-round and mixed form, the midfielder spent much of last season playing through the pain of a hernia. Having now put those fitness woes behind him, he insists the record price tag was never a burden.
“It didn’t affect me. I tried to take it responsibly, with enjoyment, without pressure.”
Fernández on his £106m transfer fee
With Fernández finally fulfilling his immense potential, Chelsea supporters are dreaming of a first Premier League crown since 2017. The Blues’ record signing certainly isn’t lacking in ambition. “There is still a long way to go,” he insists, his gaze firmly fixed on the challenges ahead. If Enzo Fernández’s upward trajectory continues, that “long way” could yet lead Chelsea back to the pinnacle of English football.
