The task of figuring out how to get the most out of Enzo Fernandez will be one of Mauricio Pochettino‘s first priorities at Chelsea. He has excelled across the midfield after appearing in every game since joining the club in January, but there is still a sense that much more is to come.
The 22-year-old has two assists to his name, both beautiful passes behind unaware Premier League defences, and has adapted to life in England with ease. He ranks third for progressive passes per 90 among players who have participated in more than 10 games, only behind Jorginho and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
He has an astonishingly long pass distance considering his inexperience in the league and is among the top 10 players for players with the most passes completed per 90. Additionally, he is not yet a member of an effective group, a stable team, or in his ideal circumstance.
The World Cup champion is easily characterised as a younger version of Jorginho who can control play from the base of the midfield, but he is ideally suited to a more advanced position where he can loft and clip the ball for his forwards to sprint onto. The performances as a player more akin to a quarterback have remained strong.
It becomes even more crucial for Pochettino to have him in a job that is comfortable for him. When given the flexibility to move freely in a double pivot or work independently in complex areas, Fernandez performs at his best. Fernandez’s efficacy is marginally diminished in the absence of a partner who can perform additional defensive labour.
Fernandez isn’t a natural match for the position, particularly for Pochettino, who like to have a defensive midfielder drop into center-back when they split on the ball. But because of his daring, determination, and brilliance, Pochettino will admire this player.
According to reports, Chelsea is poised to challenge Liverpool and Aston Villa for a player he is at least familiar with in order to get the most performance out of him. Manuel Ugarte of Sporting CP is one of the players being considered this summer, according to the Portuguese publication Record.
When he made his Fenix debut at age 15, the 22-year-old, who is a physical specimen for his age, became the youngest player to compete in Uruguay’s top division this century. With more daring players playing around him, he has allowed Ruben Amorim’s consistently outstanding side to grow.
His ability to recover the ball in central areas has made him a true destroyer in the centre of the field. One of his important tasks is to fill in as a defensive cog and free up others to advance farther. He is drawing interest from all around the continent thanks to a $60 million (£52.1 million) release clause.
Although it is claimed that Villa have “taken notes” on him, the Blues may have an advantage given their recent success in Portugal. After spending time talking to Jorge Mendes, the agent who will be in charge of Ugarte’s summer business, Todd Boehly has already gotten to know the league.
As part of Chelsea’s new multi-club conglomerate, Boehly has also tried to purchase a number of teams in Portugal. They were locked in negotiations for Fernandez during the winter before Behdad Eghbali moved to close the deal. With all of this, the Blues have a chance to sign Ugarte and provide Fernandez with the ideal colleague under Pochettino.