Chelsea launch record £115m Enzo Fernandez transfer bid and confident of sealing move for Benfica star

CHELSEA are closing in on an eye-watering British record £115MILLION deadline-day deal for Argentina star Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues’ pursuit of the World Cup winning Argentinian midfielder, 22, stalled after Benfica demanded a better deal – despite his £105m release clause being met.

But SunSport reported last week that one final push was being planned to land their man.

And after several rejected bids, Chelsea look set to finally get a deal over the line just hours before the January transfer deadline.

Following meetings between the two clubs on Monday, the plan is to pay the sum in six instalments in order to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations.

Should it go through – surpassing the £100m paid by Manchester City for Jack Grealish – American owner Todd Boehly will have splashed over half a BILLION on new players.

It would also be club-record signing, beating the £97.5m paid to Inter Milan for Romelu Lukaku in August 2021.

Benfica president Rui Costa and manager Roger Schmidt have criticised Chelsea’s approach for Fernandez this month – whose current contract expires in 2027.

The pair were confident the release clause would not be met despite the player’s desire to leave.

However, Schmidt has now admitted: “While the transfer windows are open, we have to be prepared for anything.

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“We all know there is this situation with Enzo, who has a release clause, and if there is a club that pays it, it is a lot of money and we cannot prevent it.

“If it happens, we will have to be prepared to find solutions.”

Manager Graham Potter has already seen SEVEN new signings come through the door in the January window alone, coming to a total spend of around £220m.

Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk, Andrey Santos, Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto have bolstered their already player-heavy squad, with the latter returning on loan to Lyon until the end of the campaign.

Including their summer splurge of around £270m under Boehly, the total figure could rise to over £500m since his takeover last year.

Long-term contracts for new players have helped spread costs in line with FFP, but UEFA set to close that loophole in the summer with a limit of five-year contracts.

The potential arrival of Fernandez at Stamford Bridge leaves the future of Conor Gallagher up in the air, with Everton hoping to nab the midfielder for a fee worth up to £45m. Newcastle and Crystal Palace are also interested.

However, SunSport understands England international Gallagher, 22, has no intention of switching to Goodison Park under new boss Sean Dyche.