Real Madrid Set €100m Price for Fernandez, Tchouameni Off-Limits

Real Madrid have made their stance clear in the hunt for Enzo Fernandez: Aurelien Tchouameni is not for moving, and they'll stump up the cash instead.

Spanish reports indicate that whilst the French midfielder has previously been touted as a potential component in any deal to prise the Chelsea playmaker from Stamford Bridge, the Bernabéu hierarchy regard him as untouchable. Instead, Los Blancos are willing to table a €100m bid and sweeten the pot with two additional players to tempt the Blues into a sale.

Fernandez himself is said to be keen on the prospect of donning white, though the operation presents complications that require significant financial muscle. Chelsea's asking price has been mooted at over £100m, yet the west Londoners remain open to negotiating a swap arrangement – particularly one involving a certain Brazilian winger.

Should Real Madrid consider offering Vinicius Junior, Chelsea would reportedly be receptive. With the Brazil international's contract running until 2027, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez could sanction such a move. Young Turkish talent Arda Guler is also catching Chelsea's eye, with his inclusion potentially helping to trim the overall cost of acquiring Fernandez. Perez may be willing to sacrifice the 20-year-old to secure his midfield target.

The saga surrounding Fernandez's future comes against the backdrop of Chelsea's spending spree under Todd Boehly's ownership. Since the American consortium took over from Roman Abramovich in May 2022, the club has invested well over £1bn in new talent. The strategy has been to recruit promising young players and generate profit through eventual sales, though on-pitch results have proven elusive. Two consecutive finishes of sixth and fourth in the Premier League, plus the recent sacking of Enzo Maresca in favour of Liam Rosenior, illustrate how BlueCo's grand plan has struggled to deliver silverware.

Fernandez's £106.8m arrival from Benfica in February 2023 symbolised the start of this new era. Now, barely three years on, he could be heading for the exit.

New Chelsea boss Rosenior, however, has been effusive in his praise for the Argentine midfielder. "I love Enzo because he's world class in all of the roles you've just mentioned," the manager recently declared. "You can play him as a deep-lying six who can get on the ball and make 100 passes a game. You can play him as an eight who plays box-to-box and arrives in the box and scores goals but also protects his own box. Or you can play him as a ten, because he can connect, he can create assists and score goals. He's just a magnificent footballer.

"He gives me tactical flexibility for each game, against different opposition. My job is to find what functions around him the best so the team functions with him in the very best way."

Whether Rosenior's enthusiasm can convince Fernandez to stay remains to be seen.