Di talk about Enzo Fernandez future for Chelsea don dey hot for street. Di Argentina midfielder wey Chelsea buy for big money fit leave Stamford Bridge if di contract talks wey dem go hold at di end of season no work out. Dis one don make many Blues fans dey shake head as dem dey prepare for possible exit dis summer.
But no be all Chelsea supporter dey expect Fernandez to go. For TalkingPoints, one fan talk say e dey sure say Fernandez go still dey club next season and e go even prefer make Cole Palmer leave instead. Di view come afta The Chelsea Chronicle produce potential starting XI under Xabi Alonso wey no include Fernandez. Alonso na one candidate for Chelsea job afta Liam Rosenior sack last month.
Whoever dey in charge of Club World Cup winners next season go want to get both Palmer and Fernandez for dem squad. But if dem must choose between di two for any reason, Palmer na di only correct answer. Fernandez dey have better season dan Palmer now, but a fit Palmer wey dey play for right position and system na unstoppable. Di attacking midfielder show dat for im first two campaigns for Chelsea.
For 2023/24 season, Palmer score 25 goals and provide 15 assists for 45 appearances. Dat na 40 goal contributions for single campaign. One year later, di Englishman score 18 goals and set up anoda 14 for 52 outings. Dese numbers na wetin Fernandez fit only dream of reaching. Under Enzo Maresca, Fernandez develop into really good attacking player. Palmer na goal and assist machine.
Meanwhile, Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane don brush aside concerns about Fernandez trip to Madrid during club short break. Di midfielder bin dey attend Madrid Open alongside teammates and greet Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, wey fuel more transfer speculation. Chelsea trio Enzo Fernandez, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro bin dey captured at tennis with Jude Bellingham.
Di four stars bin dey courtside for last-16 clash between Vit Kopriva and Rafael Jodar with Jobe Bellingham also dey attend. Di three Chelsea stars dey sit in front of Bellingham brothers with Sky Sports cameras videoing handshakes between di quartet. Fernandez bin dey captured for conversation with di Real Madrid star.
Di latter fit be slight concern to Chelsea fans afta di Argentine fuel rumours about future move to Los Blancos with comments during March international break wey later lead to internal suspension. Fernandez return to fold earlier dis month and seemingly send clear message on im future by pointing at Chelsea badge afta scoring for FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United. Dere still dey uncertainty surrounding Fernandez long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Cucurella also bin dey punished for controversial comments wey e make recently as di left-back slam Chelsea project and decision to sack Enzo Maresca. With no permanent head coach in charge, players dey speak out against club and Champions League qualification hopes for next season dey hang by thread, di Blues appear for disarray. Dere at least dey FA Cup final against Manchester City to look forward to next month with Calum McFarlane, for im second spell as interim boss, leading Chelsea to 1-0 victory for semi-finals dis past weekend.
Fernandez na di decisive goal-scorer at Wembley with McFarlane delivering thorough verdict on all di qualities e love for di 25-year-old. E say: ‘I said to him at di end, I said you like scoring at di back post for me. And e just laugh. E do dat really well, e don do am all year. Na one of im biggest attributes, dat when you attack down di right, im timing of im runs, im ability to actually get good distance and height on im jump and im heading technique na really good. E na winner, e get so much talent, e get so much fight, e massive for dis group. And di best thing about Enzo na say e fit do bit of everything, but when am get tough, you see di fight for am, you see am driving di group on, you see am making tackles, you see am fighting for every loose ball. So e bin exceptional today and deserve im Man of di Match.’
On im goals, McFarlane add: ‘Na something we rely on a lot. Dat why e don change position a lot over di last few years. But I tink e such a threat for di box dat di higher up you play am, and e fit drop down and e fit drift, but di higher up you play am, e fit really cause opposition problems for dat left half space and attacking di back stick.’
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