Chelsea have set a 5pm BST deadline on Friday, August 14, 2026, for clubs interested in Enzo Fernandez to submit offers of at least £120m for the midfielder.
The Argentina international has faced uncertainty over his future at Stamford Bridge since March 2026, when he reportedly raised the possibility of leaving the club for Real Madrid.
Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, subsequently claimed that his client was underpaid and wanted to leave following a difficult season for Chelsea.
The London club finished 10th in the Premier League and ended the campaign without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.
Real Madrid have since indicated that they have no intention of signing Fernandez, leaving Manchester City as the only known potential suitor.
City are yet to indicate whether they would be prepared to meet Chelsea’s £120m valuation, with the club also pursuing Lille midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.
According to BBC Sport, Chelsea set the 5pm BST Friday deadline on August 14 and are expected to stand firm on their asking price despite having paid £107m to sign Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.
The deadline is intended to bring an end to the uncertainty surrounding the 25-year-old before the new Premier League season begins.
Chelsea believe they have given Fernandez and interested clubs about 60 days to complete a deal at what they consider a fair price.
New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has spoken to Fernandez about his future but has declined to disclose details of their conversation.
The club has made it clear that it is willing to reintegrate Fernandez fully into the squad and continues to regard him as a key player if no suitable offer arrives.
Fernandez scored 15 goals and provided seven assists in 54 appearances last season. He subsequently helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after Fernandez was sent off.
The midfielder returned to Chelsea training this week for the first time under Alonso, with his future now set to be decided by the Friday, August 14 deadline.
