Barcelona joins Liverpool in race to sign SL Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez
As per Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool are aiming for a January move for SL Benfica’s 21-year-old Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Recently making a move to the Portuguese outfit, Enzo has caught the eye of Europe’s elite with his UCL performances.
Apparently, Xavi’s Barcelona also show interest in Enzo alongside Liverpool and Fernandez has a buyout clause in his contract worth €120m. Moreover, his contract with the club lasts until the summer of 2027. One could only hope for Benfica to let their player off for a rebated price, given the power of negotiations lies in their hands.
Liverpool’s current lot of midfielders apart from the starters are for one, extremely injury-prone. Second, the likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have cost the club a lot and have not lived up to expectations. Hence, a new midfielder joining the club would be an ideal situation.
In the absence of any injuries, Fernandez is likely to be selected to travel with Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar, and any good performances will certainly boost Fernandez’s value, which has already been estimated at £43.5m, according to Sport.
Fernandez at Merseyside?
The said reports also say that alongside Liverpool and Barca, the Reds’ league rivals Chelsea are also monitoring his situation at Benfica. In 18 appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese outfit, he has three goals and two assists.
As Real Madrid remains a significant threat to Liverpool’s hopes of signing long-term target Jude Bellingham, it would be wise for them to seek alternative options as they keep looking for ways to improve their position.
Liverpool could also opt to go ahead in their pursuit of Marco Asensio. But Enzo is a much younger option in comparison to the Spaniard, who seems to be out of favour in Carlo Ancelloti’s squad.
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Enzo is a good, young option to have in midfield and is more or less in the same age group as Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Fabio Carvalho. However, he does have a strong defensive side to his game.
He could be going to the FIFA World Cup in Argentina next month. A good showing can then increase his stocks, which is always a worry for potential suitors.
