Enzo Fernandez is undergoing a medical in Lisbon this evening as Chelsea inch closer to signing the Argentine midfielder from Benfica for a club-record fee, football.london understands.
Extensive talks have been held throughout the day between representatives of Chelsea and the Portuguese giants and while a deal has yet to be fully agreed upon – the structure of payments has been a crucial sticking point – there remains a confidence that Fernandez will arrive for a fee in excess of £105million.
That would result in the 22-year-old becoming the most expensive player in Chelsea history – it would eclipse the £97.5million paid to Inter Milan for Romelu Lukaku in 2021. And Fernandez would also become the Premier League's most-costly signing; Manchester City star Jack Grealish currently holds that status.
READ MORE: Graham Potter makes final Conor Gallagher decision amid Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez transfer talks
The World Cup winner has been Chelsea's priority target throughout the January window. The Blues did explore a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo and even went as far as submitting an offer worth around £55million for the Ecuador international last week.
That bid was rejected and the Blues focused their efforts on Fernandez. football.london has been told that deadline-day reports that Chelsea showed an interest in Bayern Munich star Marcel Sabitzer – who is set to join Manchester United on loan – were wide of the mark.
Chelsea's other deadline-day business has been focused on outgoings. Jorginho has left the club and completed a move to London rivals Arsenal. football.london understands the Gunners have paid an initial £10million fee for the Italy international, with a further £2million due in add-ons.
The other potential first-team departure is Hakim Ziyech. The Morocco international, sources have told football.london, has been keen on an exit from Stamford Bridge throughout January and a potential landing spot has opened at Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
A loan move has been floated by PSG while there has been talk of a permanent exit for Ziyech. However, a deal hasn't yet been finalised despite Ziyech having undergone a medical and being situated in the French capital ahead of tonight's deadline.
Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, is set to remain at Chelsea despite receiving interest from a number of Premier League sides this month. Both Crystal Palace and Newcastle United expressed an interest in taking him on loan from Chelsea two weeks ago, but those approaches were swiftly turned down with Graham Potter keen to keep Gallagher as part of his first-team squad.
Potter's stance is not believed to have changed in the final hours of the window – and potential landing spots for the academy graduate have dwindled.
Development Squad striker Jude Soonsup-Bell has departed permanently for Tottenham Hotspur this morning while Cesare Casadei sealed a loan move to Reading yesterday. Omari Hutchinson is expected to follow Casadei to the Championship, with West Bromwich Albion and another unnamed club interested in the winger.
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