Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Moises Caicedo stressed his desire for Enzo Fernandez to remain at Chelsea this summer amid speculation of a move to LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
Fernandez’s future at Stamford Bridge has been up in the air for some time following comments he made during the 2025-26 season, when Liam Rosenior was in charge.
The 25-year-old hinted at a potential move to the Spanish capital, resulting in him being dropped by Chelsea, who finished 10th in the Premier League last season.
At the start of July, however, Madrid released a statement denying they had been in contact over a move for the Argentina international, who has still not rejoined Chelsea for their pre-season tour after helping his nation reach the World Cup final this summer.
Since arriving at Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023, in what was then a Premier League-record deal, Fernandez has made 169 appearances in all competitions.
Reports have suggested that if a move for Fernandez materialised, Chelsea would seek a transfer fee of £120m for a player who still has six years remaining on his contract.
But Caicedo, who joined Chelsea in the same year as Fernandez, believes it would be “massive” if the club were able to keep hold of the midfielder.
“I love Enzo, he knows I have a lot of respect for him because, as we know, the player is not just a player, he is a great person,” Caicedo told reporters.
“I want him to stay, but I’m not going to talk about that because if he stays here, it’s going to be massive for us.
“Yes, I just want the best for him and for sure he is going to think, and he will do what is best for him.”
No Premier League player played more games in all competitions than Fernandez’s 61 in 2025-26 (including the Club World Cup), while his 26 goal contributions (16 goals, 10 assists) were only bettered by Joao Pedro (29) for Chelsea.
Fernandez carried that form over into the World Cup for Argentina, scoring two goals in seven appearances to help Lionel Scaloni’s side to the final, which they lost to Spain.
One of Fernandez’s strikes came against England in Argentina’s 2-1 triumph in the semi-finals, with the midfielder picking out the bottom-left corner with a stunning finish.
Asked whether Fernandez will cope with the pressure of being unpopular with English fans after the World Cup, Caicedo added: “Yeah, 100%.
“He is a strong player. He has a strong mentality. That’s why he’s a world champion. So, for sure, he’s going to manage the pressure, and he’s going to continue how he finished.”
Chelsea have once again been busy in the summer transfer window, with 10 new faces arriving at Stamford Bridge, including Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra and Fernandez’s compatriot Valentin Barco.
The Blues continue their pre-season preparations against Juventus on Wednesday before further games against AC Milan and Johor Darul Ta’zim, with London rivals Fulham their first opponents in the Premier League on August 24.
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