The Argentine player sparks controversy at the end of Chelsea’s preparations for the new season

Enzo Fernández has sparked fresh controversy inside Chelsea, at a time when the club is going through a decisive phase regarding the future of the Argentine midfielder, whose name has dominated the transfer market over the past weeks.

Pressure on Fernández has grown following the latest twists over his future. Chelsea supporters are no longer united in their stance towards him, a scene that lays bare the tension surrounding the player’s file since the end of last season.

Fernández had been linked with a departure from Stamford Bridge after Real Madrid entered the race to sign him, only for the Spanish club to rule out a move.

Manchester City then emerged as the most prominent interested party, especially after Chelsea set a final deadline for offers on the player, who is valued at £120 million. The deadline expired on Friday evening without any bid from City. That left Chelsea expecting Fernández to stay for the 2026-2027 season, while leaving the door open to the Sky Blues making a move later on.

Fernández came off the bench during Saturday’s friendly against Real Sociedad and was met with jeers from some Chelsea supporters, having been booed once already when his name was read out before kick-off, according to the Telegraph.

The reception was not entirely hostile. Some fans chanted the player’s name, especially after he took the captain’s armband from Reece James.

The anger of some supporters stems from Fernández’s earlier hints about a possible move to Real Madrid, alongside other flashpoints that stirred controversy around him. Among them was his celebration of Argentina’s goal against England in the World Cup semi-final, before he was sent off during the final that Argentina lost to Spain.

Chelsea had wrapped up their preparations for the new season with a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. New signing Morgan Rogers opened the scoring, while João Pedro added the other two.

Read also: After Real Madrid’s calculations change, Liverpool moves to seal a valuable deal