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Writer's pictureTristan Figueras

World Record Transfer, World Cup Winner: Is Enzo Worth it?

Hello everyone and welcome to Early Doors Football! In one of the most ridiculous transfer windows of all time, we were treated to an absolute blockbuster move right at the deadline: Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea. I did an article on who I thought would be the most influential moves of the window (Check it out here ), and I promised to delve more into Enzo in a later article; well, here we are. I think this is such a transformative move that it warranted its own article, so we can fully explore why Chelsea made the Argentine the most expensive midfielder of all time. With that said, let’s jump in.

 

€121 Million: Is it worth it?


The staggering fee paid is the first thing that will catch your eye about this transfer. Not only is he now the most expensive midfielder in history, but his incredible fee is also a British transfer record (for any position). For Boehly to not only be willing, but adamant, about paying such a price, speaks volumes about the quality and uniqueness of Enzo, which we will take a deep look into later.


Before getting to that, I feel like it is worth explaining why the fee is more reasonable than meets the eye. I am not saying this is a bargain, in fact the price is inflated, but in order to avoid a bidding war in the upcoming summer, a premium was paid. Thanks to a “loophole” in British vs UEFA rules, Chelsea have been handing out lengthy contracts to most of their new additions, in order to spread the transfer cost out over a longer period (this is one of many reasons). This is known as amortization, which has been the word on everyone’s lips recently. To apply the concept to this instance, Enzo’s €121 million fee will be split over his 8.5 year contract, meaning he will cost €14 million per year for accounting purposes. This means, despite spending an exorbitant amount this window, he will only cost the club €14 million this season. This is crucial to fall in line with Financial Fair Play in order to avoid sanctions, and is one of the main ways Boehly has been able to spend so freely AND stay in line with the rules.


I say all that, but am still very happy to recognize just how insane of a price the Blues have paid. Considering the Argentine has played less than 100 league games, and only 17 for Benfica, it feels extremely reactionary to gamble so much on the player. But there is a reason why Benfica did not want to sell, even when a world record offer arrived. Enzo’s profile is extremely hard to come by, so when there is an opportunity to acquire him, you cannot pass the chance up. People will easily remember his World Cup heroics, in fact, one could argue he was the key reason behind their success (after Lionel Messi, of course), as the entire outlook of Argentina’s prospects changed when he came on against Mexico. But the reality is, he has been playing even better for Benfica in the Champions League. He led the Portuguese side to first place in their group, even against the stiff competition of PSG and Juventus. In the domestic league, he has had a plethora of brilliant performances as well. With the context out of the way, it is time to look at exactly why Enzo is so highly sought after.

 

Progression: Enzo Going Forward


The brilliance of Enzo is his all-round ability. While he may lack in certain attributes, his floor is extremely high even at his weak points. Having such a variety of skills enables him to play in multiple roles comfortably. He typically played as the left sided midfielder in a double pivot for Benfica, but played multiple roles in various formations for Argentina at the World Cup, all of which he excelled in. In his debut for Chelsea, he played as the lone 6 in a 4-3-3. This does not best utilize his attributes, but as we saw, he still looked brilliant.


What likely stood out to Vivell and the rest of Chelsea’s transfer hierarchy, was his excellence in build up. Basically every passing metric he has is stunning, but his ability goes beyond numbers. You merely need to watch him for 10 minutes to see his intelligence AND ability; he not only spots great passes and spaces, but can execute the action to get it there. Enzo regularly drops between the center backs to progress the ball, constantly making himself available even under pressure. At Benfica, it was also common for him to drop into the full backs’ space, enabling them to push further up the field. One would imagine this could happen quite regularly for Chelsea, who often have fullbacks bombing on, depending on Potter’s plan.


Just to illustrate how absurd the Argentine’s numbers are, here are all of the passing metrics tracked by FBref. I could pick out any number of options to target, but I am particularly impressed by his long range passing. As I mentioned, he drops between the defense, so when he does this and turns, there is no pass out of his range. Having watched some videos about him, you can see that he loves a ping to the right hand side, so watch out for that connection with Reece James. James excels at receiving these sorts of passes, as he has elite chest control. I am convinced he could control a bowling ball, the way he brings down any switch of play with ease. Obviously his passing over medium and short distances is great as well, incisive over those distances too.


Outside of passing, he proves to be an excellent dribbler as well. He is adept in tight areas as well as driving runs to progress the ball; both are key in his role. Because he is happy to receive the ball even under extreme pressure, his ability to turn in tight situations is key. He also has the awareness to pass first time if someone is too tight, which can open up better angles for his teammates. Over distances, he has the ability to shift away from opponents, making him even more useful on counters. He’s ranked in the 97th percentile for Progressive Carrying Distance, so he will be happy to take players on despite having such a wide range of passing in his locker.



To close out his attacking abilities, I have this chart from the Athletic and Opta. It perfectly describes his attacking impact, despite his deep-lying position. Mark Carey says it better than I can, “he won’t always be the one to finish an attacking sequence but you can be sure that his fingerprints are on the move somewhere.”



 

Rough around the Edges: Enzo Fernandez Defensively


If you were going to find weaknesses in his game, they would be defensively. That being said, he is still reasonably solid in these areas, and because of his youth, there is no reason to assume he cannot improve.


To start on a positive note, he is happy to get stuck in, and is often successful in doing so. He averages over 2 tackles per match, most commonly in the middle third of the field. His ferocity in these challenges can halt opposition counter attacks and kickstart them for his side. On the flipped side, this ferocity can lead to rash challenges, which lead to yellow cards. He can refine his decision-making here, both in regard to where he makes sliding challenges, and with what force.


Positionally, there is room for improvement as well. He completes a relatively low number of interceptions and blocks (passes), suggesting he does not read the game defensively quite as well as others. This is something that will come with experience, but if he can raise the level here, he can push on to new heights. I think it is worth noting that when playing in a double pivot, he tends to be given a license to push further forward, so that should be taken into account when looking at his defensive numbers. Nonetheless, improvement can be made here, but it is an excellent starting point.

 

Enzo and… : Who He Should Play Alongside


As I’ve already said, he is best utilized when he has a more defensive player beside him in the double pivot. He is still one of the best in the business as a lone defensive midfielder, but if you pay a British record transfer fee, you want to get the most out of your investment. So that begs the question, who should be his partner?


I think there are some solid options at Chelsea already. Ngolo Kante, if we see him fit soon, could be a great option. I do not need to tell you about his ability, his class is already well known. He would undoubtedly do a lot of the dirty work for Enzo. However, I feel like that pairing would be a little light. The Frenchman has the endurance, and is clearly happy to break up play, but the duo would be lacking in size. Because of this, I would actually like to see Zakaria slot in next to Enzo. After a stuttering start to life in London, he really came into form. He has been injured for the past few weeks, but when he is back, I think he would be a cracking foil for the Ex-Benfica man. He has the size to dominate aerially, but is combative on the ground, willing to do the work defensively. He would enable Enzo to push further forward in attack, knowing he has the Swiss safety net behind him.


Kante and Zakaria would both work well; I think it is a matter of preference (until we see them on the pitch together and can better analyze). I wanted to give a quick shoutout to Andrey Santos as well as a potential option. The Brazilian youngster has had an absolute scorcher in the U20 Copa America, scoring 5 in 5 (at the time of writing), but is not even the goal-scoring that you would have him in your team for. He has proven to be excellent defensively, from what I have read and seen. It may be premature to throw him into the deep end, but long-term, he is one to watch out for.


Well, that concludes my thoughts. It would be an understatement to say I am excited to have Enzo at Chelsea. It is genuinely one of those signings that can change the entire team. In his first game he was brilliant, but we have yet to see his best, which is a frightening prospect. As always, thank you for reading and have a lovely day.



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