What number of skilled soccer matches has Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández performed?

Argentina’s World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernández made his debut for Chelsea in opposition to Fulham within the Premier League on Friday simply days after changing into the costliest within the historical past of English soccer. A reality which, for some, nonetheless defies logic, regardless of the success he has had in his quick profession. Regardless of an spectacular, all-action efficiency within the first half specifically, the Argentine was unable to encourage his new group to victory, with the Cottagers holding out for a goalless draw.

A protracted switch saga ended up with Chelsea paying Benfica €121 million – a fairly literal fortune – for a younger man who was voted the perfect younger participant on the Qatar 2022 World Cup, a formidable feat contemplating that, with simply three caps to his title, he was on no account thought-about a daily began going into the event.

Admiring glances had, nevertheless, already been forged in Fernández’s path even earlier than his exploits within the Center East, as he had loved a superb begin to the season with Benfica, who he solely joined in the summertime of 2022. The hype surrounding the 22-year-old snowballed after Argentina had received a few matches within the World Cup however the Portuguse giants nonetheless most likely thought that no person could be keen to pay an enormous buy-out clause for a participant who, fairly frankly, had hardly performed any video games in his profession, in relative phrases. They thought mistaken.

What number of skilled membership matches has Enzo Fernández performed?

Fernández got here by way of the academy at River Plate however made his debut on mortgage at smaller Buenos Aires membership Defensa y Justicia, for whom he performed 32 instances in all competitions in 2020 and the beginning of 2021.

His kind there earned him a recall to his mother or father membership and he first appeared for River in July 2021. He would go on to play 40 matches within the Argentinian Premier League and 53 instances in whole.

It didn’t take lengthy for Fernández to draw consideration of European eyes and it was Benfica who pounced final June, signing the midfielder for a reported for of €10 million plus €8 million in add-ons. River Plate saved a 25% sell-on clause, a clever transfer.

Enzo Fernández’s accolades in brief spell at Benfica

Fernández’s debut in Portugal got here in August 2022 and extremely he would go on to win the Primeria Liga participant of the month in three of the 4 months that he spent on the membership. He performed simply 29 video games for Benfica – together with 9 within the Champions League, together with qualifiers – earlier than leaving for Chelsea, his switch worth having supposedly elevated by round €111 million (€103 million in case you rely add-ons) within the area of just some months.

After 32 appearances for Defensa y Justicia, 53 for River Plate, 29 for Benfica and 10 for Argentina, Fernández, the fifth-most costly participant of all time – performed simply the one hundred and twenty fifth match of his profession for Chelsea in opposition to Fulham.