Chelsea have hatched a sensational plan to keep Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge and thwart any potential advances from Manchester City, according to a report.

Fernandez is one of the best and most important midfielders at Chelsea and is under contract at the Premier League club until the summer of 2032.

However, there is growing speculation that the Argentina international midfielder could leave Chelseain the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid keen on him.

Fernandez added fuel to the fire this week when he admitted that his future at Chelsea is far from set in stone.

Following Chelsea’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League this week, Fernandez, who cost the Blues ￡107million in transfer fees when they signed him from Benfica in 2023, told ESPN: “I don’t know, there are eight games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see.”

Losing Fernandez would be a bitter blow for Chelsea, but the club’s owners, BlueCo, have no intention whatsoever to let him leave.

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According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are aiming to make the 25-year-old their highest ever-paid player, amid interest from Manchester Cityand Real Madrid.

The report has claimed that Madrid wanted to sign Fernandez before he joined Chelsea from Benfica and remain keen on him.

PSG and Bayern Munich are said to be ‘long-standing admirers’ of the 2022 World Cup winners.

Regarding Man City’s interest in Fernandez, the report has noted that the Cityzens ‘would be prepared to join the race if the player showed any willingness to join another Premier League club – though such a scenario is not currently in play’.

To put an end to any hopes of a Man City move, Chelsea are ‘preparing to make a forceful counter?move by offering him a huge new contract’.

The London club are said to be willing to pay Fernandez more than ￡400,000 per week, including bonuses.

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That would make the Argentine star Chelsea’s highest-ever paid player, surpassing the ￡325,000 per week Raheem Sterling?was getting during his time at Stamford Bridge.

What would also be encouraging to Chelsea fans is that Fernandez is not said to be ready to force a move out of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup winners.

While the midfielder, who won the Copa America with Argentina in 2024, is open to a move to Real Madrid, ‘he is not agitating for a transfer and has made no formal push to leave’.

Chelsea clearly believe that handing Fernandez more money will keep him at Stamford Bridge.

However, Fernandez is a hugely ambitious player, and Chelsea will need to show him how they plan to win the Premier League and the Champions League in the coming years to convince him to commit his long-term future to the club.

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