Chelsea have signed World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British-record 121 million euros ($131 million), the Portuguese club announced early on Wednesday.
The midfielder, 22, was named Best Young Player of the World Cup for his displays during Argentina’s successful campaign in Qatar.
The £106.8 million fee eclipses the previous record of £100 million that Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.
Fernandez only joined the Portuguese giants in July last year, for a reported fee of around £10 million.
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He has signed an eight-and-half-year deal that will run until 2031.
OFFICIAL: Enzo Fernández to Chelsea, signed and completed. 🔵🇦🇷 #CFCClub statement confirm €121m deal plus extra costs — also, River Plate will receive 25% of it.
Enzo has signed contract valid until June 2031. pic.twitter.com/nbnkdNAPrt
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 1, 2023
Todd Boehly’s consortium has spent hundreds of millions since buying Chelsea at the end of last season in the hope that his extra splurge will lift the club from 10th place in the Premier League.
Joao Cancelo joins Bayern Munich, Arsenal land Jorginho
Bayern Munich signed Manchester City wing-back Cancelo on loan until the end of the season and have an option to buy him for a reported 70 million euros.
The 28-year-old Portuguese defender joined City from Juventus in 2019 but has been a peripheral figure in Pep Guardiola’s team since the World Cup.
“FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world, and it’s enormous motivation for me to now play alongside these extraordinary players," Cancelo said.
Premier League leaders Arsenal snapped up Italy midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea for a reported fee of £12 million.
Jorginho, who is understood to have signed an 18-month deal at the Emirates Stadium, told Arsenal.com: “I’m very excited for this new challenge and I just can’t wait to be on the pitch.
“Everything has happened so fast. I was a bit surprised, but I took the opportunity of this amazing challenge."
The Gunners, bidding to win their first Premier League crown since 2004, signed Belgium forward Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Poland defender Jakub Kiwior from Italian side Spezia earlier this month.
Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham announced the signing of defender Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon minutes before the deadline.
The right-back has signed on loan until the end of the season with an obligation to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)
