Chelsea have triggered the one-year extension clause in the contract of January signing Enzo Fernandez, according to Argentine journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.
The 22-year-old joined the Blues from Benfica before the January transfer deadline. He was signed for a British-record fee of £106.8 million after signing a seven-and-a-half-year deal.
As part of the contract, the Blues had the option to prolong his stay for another 12 months and Merlo has now revealed that the London giants have activated the clause before the summer.
The Blues have had a dreadful Premier League campaign. They are currently 11th in the table, 17 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who have a game in hand.
The club are also on the verge of exiting the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. They trail Real Madrid 2-0 after the away leg and have a huge mountain to climb at home.
The Blues look set for a season away from the Champions League and this is probably a prime reason behind their decision to extend Fernandez’s deal until June 2032.
They will face significant losses without Champions League football and the extension will help them amortise the cost of his transfer by another 12 months.
Mykhailo Mydryk, Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke were also signed on lengthy long-term contracts in January. Chelsea could trigger their extension clauses too.
Chelsea have spent over £600m on signings since their takeover by Clearlake Capital Group. They must recoup funds this summer to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions.
Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech are among the attacking players that could be shown the exit door. The former has been reluctant to pen a new contract beyond June 2024.
