Chelsea Open to Enzo Fernandez Sale? Rosenior Responds to Madrid and PSG Links

‎Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has spoken out about mounting speculation linking Enzo Fernandez with potential moves to European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Reports suggest the Premier League side could be prepared to sell their World Cup-winning midfielder if a suitable bid is made, with both clubs believed to be monitoring the Argentina international closely.

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Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior addresses Enzo Fernandez transfer rumours, Real Madrid and PSG interest, his fitness update, and talks on Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi.

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‎Fernandez’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge is now under scrutiny as Chelsea are no longer viewing him as an “untouchable” asset. It has been claimed the club would consider offers that meet their valuation, while both Real Madrid and PSG are reportedly keen to bolster their midfield options. Chelsea paid a staggering £106.8 million ($131m) to sign Fernandez from Benfica in 2023, and any potential transfer would likely demand a similarly hefty fee. The midfielder is also said to be weighing up his options after Enzo Maresca stepped down as head coach.

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‎Rosenior, who has recently taken over at Chelsea, was asked directly about the rumours and insisted he is not distracted by the ongoing talk. Speaking to reporters, he said: “It means nothing to me. When you're a world-class player, there is always going to be speculation you cannot control. Enzo has been outstanding in the time I have worked with him. He was ill on Saturday, the way he covered the ground, it surprised me. He's a Chelsea player. I hope we're going to have a successful working relationship in the long-term and short-term.”

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‎The Chelsea boss also discussed where he sees Fernandez fitting best on the pitch. He praised the Argentine’s versatility and technical qualities, explaining: “I think Enzo, because he's got an extreme skillset; technically he's outstanding and he covers ground well, he finishes, he score goals, he arrives late in the box, he arrives well in the box. A player of his level can do many different things. I need to find out what the chemistry is like around his position, not just him but for all the players. I don't say players are one position, I've always used players in different roles. I will do that with Enzo because he's an outstanding player.”

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‎Despite enjoying a strong campaign, Fernandez could miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Pafos at Stamford Bridge due to illness. A virus has spread through the Chelsea squad, and Rosenior provided an update on the midfielder’s condition. He said: “Enzo trained today. None of those lads are at 100 per cent. It's a bad illness. So we'll make that decision on Enzo tomorrow and what he looks like in terms of style from the bench. Enzo Fernandez was ill yesterday and missed training. There were signs of it during the game and that goes to show the type of performance that he put in against Brentford.”

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‎Rosenior also addressed the futures of Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, two players currently outside the main squad group. On Sterling, he revealed: “We're in conversations with Raheem at the moment about different things going on in his career. Hopefully that will be clearer in the next couple of days.”

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‎As for Disasi, the defender has returned to training with the first team ahead of the Pafos fixture. Rosenior detailed their recent talks, saying: “My decision on Axel: I had a really good meeting with him a couple of days ago. I said to the players when I came in, it’s a clean slate for everybody. So it was only right for me to have a conversation with him. Really good conversation. I got to know him really, really well. It was the right thing to be back involved with the group. Because of the situation he’s been in, he’s behind in terms of his match fitness. We’ll keep working with him really, really hard to get him up to speed.”

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‎Looking ahead, Rosenior is set to manage his first Champions League game when Cypriot side Pafos travel to west London on Wednesday. It is Chelsea’s second-to-last group-stage match, with a final trip to Napoli scheduled for next week. The manager has admitted he is keen to avoid the play-offs and secure automatic qualification, stating: “It would be optimal, it would be great. When you're a new manager coming in, you want those extra training days to work.”