A year ago
Enzo Fernández left River Plate last summer and transferred to Benfica for just €12 million. A few months later, he and Argentina won the World Cup, and since then, he has rapidly risen to the top of the list of players in demand worldwide. Ahead of the World Cup, Fernández quickly doubled his market value after being a part of eight goals in 22 appearances for Benfica. Fernández was one of 53 players that received a promotion as part of the World Cup market value boost. With a jump from €35 million to €55 million, Fernández, together with Kylian Mbappé, is the player with the largest market value increase in 2022 and the biggest winner of the World Cup update.
However, based on his recent results, the player's current upgrade will just be a temporary step. Fernández has been linked to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and PSG in transfer rumors, but his €120 million departure clause will likely prevent him from moving this winter. The 21-year-old has already outbid certain Premier League clubs because of his price tag.
Many of Christensen's points are shared by Adrian Sousa, a Portuguese football specialist and the host of Rabona TV on YouTube. "Enzo is a versatile pure midfielder who can play wherever. He can perform as a No. 6, No. 8, or No. 10 player. If necessary, he can also play wide as a mezzala, according to Sousa. He is unquestionably at ease in any midfield position. Due to his extremely high football IQ, he is not only at ease in all of those positions but also excels in them. He is still effective on the ball even while playing deep and breaking up the play with his tackles because of his vision and ability to complete every throw you can imagine, even the ones you don't think of.
That does not imply that Fernández is flawless, though. Sousa notes that Fernández frequently lacked discipline when he first joined Benfica, and his temperament frequently put him on the verge of obtaining a second yellow card. However, Schmidt has put in more effort with Fernández to hone other aspects of his game as well as his discipline. Sousa observed that the rest of his game had likewise improved. He is strong in the tackle, his long balls are impeccably accurate, his link-up play in confined spaces is incredible, and his through-ball accuracy is unmatched, frequently requiring no touch before making the pass.
In light of all of this, what does Fernández's future at Benfica hold? The Portuguese powerhouses have a history of acquiring players on the cheap, fostering them, and then selling them for the highest possible sum. The most recent instances of record transfers include those of Joo Félix (who cost Atlético Madrid €127.7 million), Darwin Néez (who cost Liverpool €80 million), and Ruben Dás (who cost Man City €71.6 million). With Fernández's release clause, Joo Félix would be the only other person in that position.
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