Manchester United will have to fork out over £100million if they want to sign Argentina star Enzo Fernandez in the January transfer window.
Fernandez has caught the eye at the World Cup, where he scored a brilliant goal in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Mexico last week. The 21-year-old midfielder curled into the top corner late on to make Argentina’s win more comfortable following Lionel Messi ’s low long-range effort.
His form in Qatar has come on the back of some good displays for his club side Benfica, for whom he has contributed three goals and five assists this season. Fernandez only joined Benfica from River Plate in July for £10million - turning down a switch to Wolves in the process - but has already seen his value skyrocket.
Fernandez’s performance against Mexico has prompted a spate of stories in the Portuguese press, with A Bola, Jornal de Notícias and Record all reporting that United are among the clubs looking at him.
But their interest might not matter, because the five-year contract Fernandez signed in the summer has a £103m (€120m) release clause in it.
Benfica are in no mood to cash in on their star midfielder just months after signing him and would therefore insist on any club paying his release clause in full. They are top of the Liga Portugal with 12 wins from their opening 13 games and have also progressed into the knockout stages of the Champions League by finishing top of Group H, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should Manchester United sign in the January transfer window? Comment below.
Fernandez has one influential fan in Argentina teammate Messi, who showered him in praise after the Mexico game. "I know Enzo very well, here from the national team and I also played against him in the Champions League," Messi said.
"He deserves it, because he’s a spectacular kid and a very important player for us. I’m very happy for him and for us, because the goal he scored gave us peace of mind in the game.
“We didn’t expect to start the World Cup with a loss, so we wanted to turn the situation around. Enzo’s great goal ended the game and now we can face the game against Poland in a different way.”
United are not just looking at Fernandez – they are also in the market for strikers after releasing Cristiano Ronaldo. Chelsea ’s Christian Pulisic is one of the players who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, along with PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo.
Reports on Monday suggest that United are keeping an eye on Pulisic, who is currently away at the World Cup playing for the United States. Erik ten Hag’s side are reportedly considering a loan move for the versatile forward, who would be a cheap short-term solution.
