Enzo Fernández | signs for Chelsea

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Yes, but teen Mbappe was an obscene talent. He looked the best placed attacking talent to dominate the post-Messi and Ronaldo era. Enzo Fernandez just looks like a good young midfield player.

Obviously agreed that Mbappe was and is an astonishing talent.

I suppose I just fundamentally disagree about your assessment of Enzo - and beyond that my point more broadly is that Enzo has accomplished more than Mbappe did when making their move. Not enough to make up for the talent gap, mind, because I still think Mbappe was the better prospect - my only point is that Enzo isn't a million miles off.

I'd also argue that Enzo and Bellingham are best placed to move past Modric as the best CMs in the world - not sure if that qualifies as an era though!

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

That and he literally walked off during a match.

Well, and Jose literally used sexist language towards a female staff member which caused her to quit and the club to be sued...

 

[GoonerInPeace]

This is a player who hasnt even completed a season of European football, yet people are ready to crown him the next big thing.

This has James Rodriguez written all over it, or worse, El Hadji Diouf.

People say dont get sucked in by World Cup performances, but then they get sucked in by World Cup performances.

Looks like Chelsea are about Lakuku themselves

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

This is a player who hasnt even completed a season of European football, yet people are ready to crown him the next big thing.

This has James Rodriguez written all over it, or worse, El Hadji Diouf.

People say dont get sucked in by World Cup performances, but then they get sucked in by World Cup performances.

Looks like Chelsea are about Lakuku themselves

It never ceases to amaze me that people insist on commenting on things they very obviously know nothing about

 

[FrankWhite]

Obviously agreed that Mbappe was and is an astonishing talent.

I suppose I just fundamentally disagree about your assessment of Enzo - and beyond that my point more broadly is that Enzo has accomplished more than Mbappe did when making their move. Not enough to make up for the talent gap, mind, because I still think Mbappe was the better prospect - my only point is that Enzo isn't a million miles off.

I'd also argue that Enzo and Bellingham are best placed to move past Modric as the best CMs in the world - not sure if that qualifies as an era though!

I think Enzo is more suited to our manager's style of play than Bellingham but I still wouldn't want us paying that fee. Modric also has a lot more in his locker than both. For anything close to 100m euro I'd want a midfield that does what Enzo does but can also progress the ball as a carrier and is press resistant. He's definitely not a ball carrier and I'm not sure how press resistant he is but guess we'll see. To me's a good promising player just now a victim of world cup hype.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

I think Enzo is more suited to our manager's style of play than Bellingham but I still wouldn't want us paying that fee. Modric also has a lot more in his locker than both. For anything close to 100m euro I'd want a midfield that does what Enzo does but can also progress the ball as a carrier and is press resistant. He's definitely not a ball carrier and I'm not sure how press resistant he is but guess we'll see. To me's a good promising player just now a victim of world cup hype.

Fair enough regarding the fee - it's a lot but you also have excellent creativity from midfield with Eriksen and Chelsea simply don't, so Enzo is far more badly needed on our end.

You're right about peak Modric - but if Chelsea sign Enzo and if he even approaches that I'd be thrilled he's close to a top 5 player ever at the position.

While Enzo is not really a ball carrier he is extremely press-resistant - and his progressive passing numbers are basically matched only by KdB (obviously considerations about the league apply here). I see what you're saying in terms of World Cup hype but honestly even without the World Cup I think there would be suitors for him in January given how phenomenal he's been for Benfica.

 

[Dancfc]

I was aware actually and it is shocking the crap that is thrown in his direction.
Luckily he does seem like an individual with a strong resolve in his ability regardless of the flak and that was evident in Qatar.

Players like Pogba and David Luiz have got a lot worse for a lot less.

 

[antohan]

if utd get a takeover by people with vast wealth, they will blow most clubs away. Its not for debate

I'm not debating it, I just find it weird you even sound upbeat about relative to the usual I read from our fans

 

[Bondi77]

Players like Pogba and David Luiz have got a lot worse for a lot less.

What is the less?

 

[jesperjaap]

This is a player who hasnt even completed a season of European football, yet people are ready to crown him the next big thing.

This has James Rodriguez written all over it, or worse, El Hadji Diouf.

People say dont get sucked in by World Cup performances, but then they get sucked in by World Cup performances.

Looks like Chelsea are about Lakuku themselves

Was doing brilliiantly at River Plate, has been fantastic all season at Benfica. This isnt like the Moroccan at Angers who came out of nowhere and took the world cup by storm.

I got my friend to put him in my dream team saying if he played he wouldbe the breakout star of the tournament. He has done as much as Bellingham in his career pretty much all be it a couple of years older.

Suggesting this is a decent young player who has just had a good world cup is utter nonsense

 

[jesperjaap]

Fair enough regarding the fee - it's a lot but you also have excellent creativity from midfield with Eriksen and Chelsea simply don't, so Enzo is far more badly needed on our end.

You're right about peak Modric - but if Chelsea sign Enzo and if he even approaches that I'd be thrilled he's close to a top 5 player ever at the position.

While Enzo is not really a ball carrier he is extremely press-resistant - and his progressive passing numbers are basically matched only by KdB (obviously considerations about the league apply here). I see what you're saying in terms of World Cup hype but honestly even without the World Cup I think there would be suitors for him in January given how phenomenal he's been for Benfica.

For some reason I have not liked Chelsea ever since I startede watching football. But bar PSG they are the worst cash rich club I can ever remember in terms of scattergun buying players and dumping them as well.

We have Eriksen and he is in his 30s and you are saying you dont have any creatife midfieders, really?

Kovacic has been one of the best players in the league this season and also the most under rated of the world cup just passed. You also have JOrginho and bought in CHukwuemeka one of the most highly rated youngsters in the country who has literally chucked the next couple of years of his career away movign to Chelsea as he wont get played. Then you have academy players in Mount, Gallagher and Loftus Cheek......yet you are the ones desperate for a reative midfielders....Next tou will be saying how much you need a qualaity centre back an dhave to be in for Gvardiol.

Only Barelona are ahead of you as big lubs that have binned serious talent after a season or so numbers wise

 

[Dancfc]

What is the less?

Well put it this way, I've never seen Luiz at even his most comically bad get in the way of his own teammate like Maguire did to Shaw against Tottenham (which he repeated a year later against Liverpool).

Yes ofcourse on social media a few people will go too far but for the most part he's not performing and being rightly criticised for it.

 

[Dancfc]

For some reason I have not liked Chelsea ever since I startede watching football. But bar PSG they are the worst cash rich club I can ever remember in terms of scattergun buying players and dumping them as well.

We have Eriksen and he is in his 30s and you are saying you dont have any creatife midfieders, really?

Kovacic has been one of the best players in the league this season and also the most under rated of the world cup just passed. You also have JOrginho and bought in CHukwuemeka one of the most highly rated youngsters in the country who has literally chucked the next couple of years of his career away movign to Chelsea as he wont get played. Then you have academy players in Mount, Gallagher and Loftus Cheek......yet you are the ones desperate for a reative midfielders....Next tou will be saying how much you need a qualaity centre back an dhave to be in for Gvardiol.

Only Barelona are ahead of you as big lubs that have binned serious talent after a season or so numbers wise

Out of interest can you name the specific examples of players we've "binned off" after a season or two?

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

For some reason I have not liked Chelsea ever since I startede watching football. But bar PSG they are the worst cash rich club I can ever remember in terms of scattergun buying players and dumping them as well.

We have Eriksen and he is in his 30s and you are saying you dont have any creatife midfieders, really?

Kovacic has been one of the best players in the league this season and also the most under rated of the world cup just passed. You also have JOrginho and bought in CHukwuemeka one of the most highly rated youngsters in the country who has literally chucked the next couple of years of his career away movign to Chelsea as he wont get played. Then you have academy players in Mount, Gallagher and Loftus Cheek......yet you are the ones desperate for a reative midfielders....Next tou will be saying how much you need a qualaity centre back an dhave to be in for Gvardiol.

Only Barelona are ahead of you as big lubs that have binned serious talent after a season or so numbers wise

I think that's a very fair critique generally - but the skillset we lack that Eriksen brings is progression from deeper areas. Kovacic is a wonderful player but he's more of a carrier as opposed to someone who will sit deep and distribute, and Jorginho is limited both physically and in terms of his progressive passing.

Mount and Gallagher aren't really deep-lying midfielders like we need - both are 8/10 hybrids and we have no sitting midfielder that would allow them to play as 8s anyhow. For what it's worth Chukwuemeka seems to be in this same mould.

We don't have a player with Enzo's skillset anywhere near the team and that's why it's a potentially transformative signing.

 

[Bondi77]

Well put it this way, I've never seen Luiz at even his most comically bad get in the way of his own teammate like Maguire did to Shaw against Tottenham (which he repeated a year later against Liverpool).

Yes ofcourse on social media a few people will go too far but for the most part he's not performing and being rightly criticised for it.

He does deserve some praise for making the WC team of the tournament though...don't you think?

 

[Dancfc]

He does deserve some praise for making the WC team of the tournament though...don't you think?

Which from what I can gather he's been getting.

 

[Unique1905]

You know I'm right pal deep down. What can you respect about Chelsea, how they treated there best ever manager, captain JT and Anton Ferdinand situation, let's not forget the fans. Sure it was no time ago a fan racially abused a current player at the club, Sterling. I suppose the academy can be respected, loaning out all over the world.

Even with Enzo Fernandez, you bums won't finish ahead of us. We are on the way up, good manager now and hopefully good owners soon will bring back order. I'm sure Todd will be making Tuchel type decisions before this season is out.

okay.

 

[mav_9me]

This is a player who hasnt even completed a season of European football, yet people are ready to crown him the next big thing.

This has James Rodriguez written all over it, or worse, El Hadji Diouf.

People say dont get sucked in by World Cup performances, but then they get sucked in by World Cup performances.

Looks like Chelsea are about Lakuku themselves

:facepalm:

 

[Karel Podolsky]

Out of interest can you name the specific examples of players we've "binned off" after a season or two?

Salah, KdB*, Lukaku

I am not sure loaned out could be considered "binned off".
Morata
Bakayoko
Zappacosta
Emerson
Barkley
Drinkwater
Baba Rahman
Batshuayi
Cuadrado
Filife Luis

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

FFP was meant to keep the already rich teams rich, let’s be honest. A majority of the butt hurt people over extremely rich people buying teams (like Roman did Chelsea) were the “traditional” powers that were simply used to always being able to financially curb stomp anyone.

With FFP they were saying “you can join our group, but only if you spend 30 years regrowing your brand in an already saturated and dominated world market”.

It wasn’t designed to make things “fair”. If they wanted fair they would incorporate a league structure like the NFL and do a hard cap across all CL eligible leagues in Europe.

United will be bought by someone that can use finances like a hammer though. When it happens, the Glazers will be behind you and the Euphoria of massive investment in every area of the club will set in. The sale just needs to get over the line.

At the top you are right, FFP was there for traditional power houses like United and Liverpool to stay close to top of the food chain. It is not great, but it is still better than the alternative. There is a reason people respect hard work compared to handouts. Even with FFP, Chelsea and City have spent such obscene money that it is very difficult to compete with. The only reason Chelsea didn't win 5-10 PL titles in a row is because United had a GOAT manager that stopped them. We are finding out now that without such a GOAT manager the league has become a formality for City. United even when on top never threatened to make it an absolute formality it is now.

Imagine if Newcastle are allowed to spend unrestricted without FFP, they would be much worse than what City have done.

 

[NoPace]

This is a player who hasnt even completed a season of European football, yet people are ready to crown him the next big thing.

This has James Rodriguez written all over it, or worse, El Hadji Diouf.

People say dont get sucked in by World Cup performances, but then they get sucked in by World Cup performances.

Looks like Chelsea are about Lakuku themselves

Those guys were attacking players, and Diouf hadn't really shown much end product.

Looking at it again, basically no young central midfielders who weren't #10s made World Cup all-star teams before Bellingham and Enzo did this year. Young CMs either weren't trusted or didn't play well, I guess. Even in the Euros, there's only Pedri really. It's just a fairly new phenomenon to trust a 19 or 21 year old in the center of midfield for top nations.

I think it's a lot riskier to buy someone who scores a couple goals or gets some assists like a Chernyshev than buying someone who played well deeper in midfield. You can't really fluke that. He can dribble, pass and tackle. Maybe he won't be a star, but his floor, barring personal problems or injuries, is probably a solid Rakitic/Kovacic level player, and while that's more of a 60-70M player than a 120M one, it's not gonna badly hurt a big spending team like Chelsea to overpay a bit for basically a player's entire 20s, and they should have re-sale value.

 

[TheNewEra]

Bit weird to let Chelsea have a free run at him, he will be a good player for them

Hopefully Benfica want to wait until the summer

 

[Dancfc]

The only reason Chelsea didn't win 5-10 PL titles in a row is because United had a GOAT manager that stopped them.

That's not true. Take Fergie out and we lose out to Rafa's Liverpool in 2009 aswell as not win it atall between 2012-2014. On top of that 2011 would have been on goal difference with Arsenal running us close in 2008 and 2010.

L We are finding out now that without such a GOAT manager the league has become a formality for City.

Again not true. Two of their four titles under Pep went to the last day and this season they're potentially losing it to Pep's former assistant.

There is a reason people respect hard work compared to handouts. .

A theory that's going to firmly be put to the test soon if/when United and Liverpool become sugar daddy/state owned.

 

[TheReligion]

A theory that's going to firmly be put to the test soon if/when United and Liverpool become sugar daddy/state owned.

Not convinced this will work out as you hope.

United and Liverpool are already the biggest and most successful clubs in England.

It’s somewhat different.

 

[Dancfc]

Not convinced this will work out as you hope.

United and Liverpool are already the biggest and most successful clubs in England.

It’s somewhat different.

I mean I hope it doesn't as it will cement your positions back at the top probably for the rest of our lifetimes, especially in your case.

But with how much you will cost to buy I can't see any other profile of owner bar the two above fronting it up.

 

[TheReligion]

I mean I hope it doesn't as it will cement your positions back at the top probably for the rest of our lifetimes, especially in your case.

But with how much you will cost to buy I can't see any other profile of owner bar the two above fronting it up.

Yeah it does seem likely

 

[MegadrivePerson]

Bit weird to let Chelsea have a free run at him, he will be a good player for them

Hopefully Benfica want to wait until the summer

Probably because Chelsea are the only club crazy enough to pay over £100 million for a player with 12 appearances in European football!

 

[FrankDrebin]

Bit weird to let Chelsea have a free run at him, he will be a good player for them

Hopefully Benfica want to wait until the summer

When he's going for £100 + million, it really isn't.
Good player, extremely stupid money.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

When he's going for £100 + million, it really isn't.
Good player, extremely stupid money.

List of players who are successes at this level are few and far between.

 

[UnitedSofa]

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[Red the Bear]

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Is this guy reliable at all, seems to be all over the place.

 

[BlackShark_80]

Is this guy reliable at all, seems to be all over the place.

Reliable for few Spanish clubs like Atletico and Barca, no idea outside Spain.

 

[mazhar13]

Is this guy reliable at all, seems to be all over the place.

Reliable for few Spanish clubs like Atletico and Barca, no idea outside Spain.

He and Relevo are reliable all around. Relevo's basically the Spanish version of The Athletic.

 

[Red the Bear]

He and Relevo are reliable all around. Relevo's basically the Spanish version of The Athletic.

That's very encouraging.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

It actually is ridiculous to compare him to Mbappe, yes.

Of course it isn't. Mbappe had like 40 top flight appearances when PSG paid 180m for him. Mbappe's class was evident to anyone who was paying attention and the same applies to Enzo.

 

[Zoo]

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Chelsea, one step away from closing the signing of Enzo Fernández

 

[Houdini]

I don"t want to see him in the Chelsea shirt. I it is not us the I hope he goes to Real or somewhere outside EPL.

 

[Dobba]

130m

 

[Rolaholic]

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[Chairman Steve]

That is an insane amount of money for someone who has played in Europe barely a year. This would have been great business if we listened to Ralf and went through with this time last year at a tenth of that price.

But now it seems ridiculous to splash out on him. From a United perspective, we‘ve got other problem areas so we can’t really throw stupid money on one player at the expense of neglecting other areas. Spending this amount of money is only necessary if we have one glaring weak point which is holding us back.