Noni Madueke delivers ‘winning mentality’ Chelsea verdict on ‘born winner’ Enzo Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez will join his new Chelsea teammates at their Cobham training base this week after his transfer from Benfica and he has already started to receive praise.

Chelsea completed eight transfers during the window last month which saw the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership in excess of £300 million to bolster Graham Potter‘s squad for the present and future.

David Datro Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Andrey Santos were all signed by Chelsea early on, before being joined by Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke. Malo Gusto was acquired but immediately loaned back to Lyon for the rest of the season.

However, the biggest deal of the lot waited until the end of the window on deadline day. An agreement was reached with Benfica over a club and British record transfer for Fernandez, who completed a £106.8 million transfer to Stamford Bridge.

The 22-year-old flew over to England on Wednesday afternoon after undergoing his medicals in Lisbon having signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal in west London until June 2031.

Fernandez will meet his new teammates at some point this week ahead of their Premier League match against Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Friday night, which he is expected to be in attendance at should he not be in the matchday squad.

The World Cup winner joins a new-look Chelsea side under Potter and fellow new January arrival Madueke, who signed from PSV but yet to make his debut, is relishing the chance to play with Fernandez.

Speaking to the 5th Stand App, the English winger said: “He is going to bring a winning mentality to the team, which I think is priceless. I can’t wait to meet him, and get on the pitch with him!

“I watched him play at the World Cup and he has such top qualities. He is a great player, and obviously he has proven that he is a born winner by lifting the World Cup.”

Fernandez is yet to conduct his first interview as a Chelsea player having only just arrived in the UK.

He did, though, pen an emotional farewell message to Benfica, his teammates and manager before he jetted over to England.

“Thank you very much Benfiquistas. We wanted to thank my family for all the affection received in these five months,” wrote the Argentine.

“I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world where you enjoy every moment to the fullest and say the best of me ever. That the press does not stain what we built together because it was something wonderful that I had never imagined.

“Thanks to all the employees who work too hard to make the institution much bigger than it is. Thanks to my colleagues for always treating me in the best way and making me feel like I was at home.

“Grateful to the management of the club and especially to Roger Schmidt, to all his work staff for their trust and daily respect, I was very happy.

“Thank you Benfica, I will always carry you in my heart.”