Chelsea: Enzo Maresca sends message to Real Madrid amid Enzo Fernandez transfer links

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Evening Standard

·23 May 2025

Chelsea: Enzo Maresca sends message to Real Madrid amid Enzo Fernandez transfer links

Fernandez still has seven years left on his Chelsea contract and club have no plans to sell

In demand: Enzo Fernandez is said to be a target for Real Madrid

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Enzo Maresca insists Enzo Fernandez is going nowhere amid links with Real Madrid - and says the Argentine will be even better next season.

After a slow start to the campaign in which he struggled to nail down a regular first-team shirt, Fernandez has emerged as one of Maresca’s key men.

The 24-year-old registered seven goals and 13 assists across all competitions and forged a fine midfield partnership with Moises Caicedo that has helped steer Chelsea to the brink of the Champions League.

Fernandez signed for Chelsea in January 2023 and still has seven years to run on his contract, but has reportedly emerged as a target for Real Madrid as incoming manager Xabi Alonso seeks to reshape his midfield.

“Enzo is a main player for us, one of the captains, one of the leaders,” Maresca said, when asked about those reports. “This season he has been very, very good. He can be even better next season starting from the first day.

“So, nothing to say about speculation. He is focused on us and that’s the most important thing.”

Pressed on whether Fernandez would be staying at the club this summer, he replied: “Yes”.

Meanwhile, Maresca has suggested he could be forced to field a weakened side in next week’s Conference League final, which comes just three days after Sunday’s crucial meeting with Nottingham Forest.

The Blues know a win at the City Ground will secure Champions League football next term, but Maresca is furious that his team then have a tight turnaround to the European showpiece in Bilbao, while opponents Real Betis have had their final LaLiga game moved to Friday evening.

“The focus is on Sunday’s game,” Maresca said. “That’s the next one, the most important. After that we can focus on Wednesday.

“We don’t have enough time to recover energy so, for, sure we need to rotate and we need to change things.

“If both clubs were in same situation, us and Betis, it’s different. But because they play today, they have two days more. So we have to make some changes.”