Enzo Fernandez has clarified things with Chelsea following weeks of intense speculation regarding his future at Stamford Bridge.
Fernandez was dropped from the squad that defeated Port Vale 7-0 in their FA Cup quarterfinal clash, following comments he made about his future before and during the last international break.
The Argentina international has also been dropped from the subsequent Premier League fixture against Manchester City.
During an interview, Fernandez opened up about his love for Madrid (The City), prompting speculations he’s asking for a move to Real Madrid.
However, Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore has categorically denied that the World Cup winner is looking for an exit strategy. According to Pastore, the recent headlines have been the result of a misunderstanding rather than a genuine desire to depart London.
Enzo Fernandez has been criticised for his statements in the past few weeks. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Speaking to Top Mercato, Pastore was firm in his stance: “We have already spoken about this over the last few days. These were comments he made with no intention of causing problems at Chelsea. He is the captain, one of the leaders of the team. He has shown his best side on the pitch this season. He only spoke about a city [Madrid]. Then there were many interviews in a short space of time where he talked about his future. The media mixed a lot of things together and started saying he was going to leave Chelsea. There is nothing at all to it.”
Despite defending the player’s intentions, Pastore admitted that the former Benfica star made a tactical error in how he handled recent media engagements.
“What happened, happened. We explained to the player that, even if he did nothing wrong, he should not have said that. He is only 25 years old. He is still young and still has things to learn. We explained to the club that he said it without any malice and that he was wrong to do so,” Pastore added.
Fernandez has six years left on his Chelsea contract and will be eager to put in impressive performance as the season comes to conclusion.
Pastore concluded by stressing the importance of the partnership between player and club: “Chelsea are playing for a Champions League place through the Premier League, which is hugely important for the club. Enzo needs to play because he has a World Cup coming up. Chelsea need him because he is a key player in their team. We spoke, we sorted everything out on both sides. Things are perfectly clear. There is no conflict whatsoever. Enzo still has six years on his contract and we need to work together – that is what we are doing.”
