- Argentine moved to England in January
- Smashed transfer record in the process
- Feeling more settled at Stamford Bridge
WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentina international midfielder, fresh from savouring World Cup glory at Qatar 2022, completed a record-setting move to England during the January transfer window. He had spent just a matter of months in Portugal with Benfica when that deal was done, with Chelsea splashing the cash again, and the 22-year-old has revealed why he jumped at the chance to head for Stamford Bridge.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Fernandez has told UEFA’s official website: “One of the factors was that I liked the long-term project the club is creating. I also always dreamed about playing in the Premier League, and Chelsea had shown their interest in me even before the World Cup. I came to a big club, one that has always fought for trophies and that has won two Champions Leagues in a very short period of time.
"Now that I'm here, I've realised how big this club really is. And that's what we wanted, what the club aimed for as a whole. This was an important factor when making this decision, apart from the fact that it's in such a beautiful city like London. I thought it all through with my family. If it's God's will, everything will turn out fine, and I'll strive to win anything and everything.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea have found the going tough in 2022-23 – working their way through three managers – but Fernandez is starting to feel at home in west London and has already struck up productive partnerships with a number of those around him. The South American added: “Adapting always takes time, meeting new players. I was among the 10 new players that came in [during the winter]. It's hard with different languages, so it's difficult to connect with team-mates at the beginning. As time goes by, we start getting to know our team-mates better and it will get better with time.
"Have I struck up a connection with Kai Havertz and Joao Felix? We do have this connection, away from the pitch as well. But we have many good players. All of our attackers are class and have quality, so all of them can play at the top level. I've adapted quite well. London is very different from Lisbon and from Buenos Aires, we all know that already. It's very cold. I'm still adjusting as best as possible with my family and I'll be fine. London is very beautiful and I'm delighted.”
Next Match
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Fernandez has taken in 11 appearances for Chelsea so far and will be hoping to play an important role for them in the first leg of a heavyweight Champions League quarter-final showdown with European title holders Real Madrid on Wednesday.
