According to The Athletic, Real Madrid are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández for £120 million this summer. The midfielder continues to show improvement, possesses experience in big matches and leadership qualities, and is performing at his peak. However, due to his openness to leaving, poor discipline, and Chelsea's recent poor form, the club faces a dilemma: retain him and rebuild, or sell him for a high price.

The report suggests that this transfer saga is expected to become a protracted tug-of-war during the summer transfer window: will Enzo join Real Madrid, or will he remain at Chelsea?

Over the past three months, transfer rumors linking Enzo to the Bernabéu have surfaced almost daily. In early March, the 25-year-old stated his desire to move to Madrid in an interview, which led Chelsea to suspend him for two matches, making further transfer speculation inevitable.

Earlier this year, contract extension talks between the two parties stalled, and Chelsea did not include him on their untouchable list, sending a clear signal to Real Madrid: Enzo is not unsellable, but Chelsea's asking price is £120 million (approximately $158 million).

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Argentine international Enzo is a primary target for Real Madrid's new manager Xabi Alonso to strengthen the midfield. Chelsea's previous sale of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid also demonstrates that The Blues are willing to do business with La Liga clubs.

Below are the arguments for Chelsea to keep Enzo and to sell him:

Reasons to Keep Enzo

Losing another leader now would be unwise

In the January 2023 transfer window, Chelsea spent a staggering £106 million to sign Enzo from Benfica. Since arriving in the Premier League, he has consistently demonstrated his talent, gradually becoming a cornerstone of the midfield and an influential figure in the dressing room. Over the past two full seasons, captain Reece James has frequently been sidelined by injury, and Enzo has stepped up on several occasions, wearing the armband and shouldering the responsibility of leading the team.

Cucurella is also a veteran with extensive experience in the squad, consistently setting a good example both on and off the pitch. If Chelsea allow both of these key figures to leave in the same transfer window, the squad and team morale would suffer a significant void that cannot be easily replaced. Outsiders have long criticized Chelsea's lack of experienced leaders who can command the dressing room. Losing more senior players would only exacerbate this leadership crisis.

Enzo himself possesses a strong winning mentality: he reached the pinnacle with Argentina at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and led Chelsea to consecutive UEFA Europa Conference League and Club World Cup titles last year. Having experienced numerous crucial finals, he deeply understands the sweat and struggle required to stand on the podium and win championships.

Continued personal improvement

In terms of attacking contribution, Enzo has been outstanding: he has made 169 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions, scoring 31 goals and providing 30 assists, meaning he's involved in a goal roughly every three matches. For a dedicated midfielder who is not a striker, this is an excellent record.

Notably, Enzo's goal tally has increased year-on-year in each full season: 7 goals in 2023-24, 9 goals in 2024-25, and a personal best of 15 goals last season, clearly demonstrating his upward trajectory in performance.

Difficult to find a replacement

Even if Chelsea receive their desired £120 million offer, finding a replacement would be challenging. It is not easy to recruit a midfielder who can replicate Enzo's attacking contributions, and a drop in midfield firepower would directly affect team performance.

Once other clubs learn that Chelsea have significant transfer funds and an urgent need for a replacement, they will inevitably inflate their asking prices. Compared to an extensive recruitment search, retaining Enzo is inherently cheaper and lower-risk.

Peak years still ahead

Enzo is only 25 years old, and his prime years lie ahead. Under new manager Xabi Alonso's guidance—himself a former top midfielder—Enzo still has room to develop and surpass his current level.

Reasons to Sell Enzo

Failed to set an example off the pitch

Following manager Enzo Maresca's departure earlier this year, Chelsea's form collapsed, and Enzo's words and actions have been disappointing.

Enzo's open desire for Real Madrid is not his only controversial action: after the team changed managers and Liam Rosenior took over, he and Cucurella gave an interview on TUDN, openly stating they couldn't understand the mid-season managerial change, calling it "a blow to the players." He may not have realized that Maresca left voluntarily, but such comments only added pressure on the new manager Rosenior.

While it is understandable for a player to aspire to a club of Real Madrid's stature, he should have waited until the summer transfer window to pursue a move, rather than fueling rumors and damaging morale mid-season, disrupting the team's rhythm.

Furthermore, stalled contract negotiations pose a hidden threat, causing Enzo to consider leaving. Discontent from key players could easily disrupt Alonso's rebuild; if forced to stay, the same scenario of Real Madrid circling and fluctuating morale will likely repeat in the summer of 2027. A peaceful departure might be the optimal solution for all parties.

A sky-high offer is hard to refuse

If Real Madrid or another wealthy elite club offers a lucrative £120 million transfer fee, given Chelsea's current financial situation, such an attractive offer would be nearly impossible for the club's management to turn down outright.

Although Enzo is an exceptional player and a midfield cornerstone, being able to sell him at a substantial transfer fee, or even make a profit, would undoubtedly represent excellent value from a club business operations perspective.

At this stage, Chelsea desperately need targeted reinforcements to strengthen several weak areas of the squad. This record transfer revenue would not only provide sufficient funds to support the team's summer transfer investments, but would also effectively offset the significant revenue gap caused by losing prize money and broadcasting revenue after failing to qualify for European competition next season.

Team performance has consistently underperformed expectations during his tenure

Chelsea have failed to compete for the league title for four consecutive seasons, and Enzo has been a regular starter throughout this period. While poor performance cannot be entirely attributed to him, The Blues have not achieved expected results after signing him at such a high cost: their league positions over four seasons were 12th in 2022-23, 6th in 2023-24, 4th in 2024-25, and 10th in 2025-26. They also failed to win domestic cups, failing to justify the hefty transfer fee.

Lack of discipline

Chelsea have long suffered from a lack of discipline, a point frequently criticized by fans and media. Over the past three seasons, the team has twice finished bottom of the Premier League Fair Play table.

Since joining The Blues, Enzo has accumulated 37 yellow cards across all competitions, with a significant number (double digits) resulting from complaining to referees on the pitch and refusing to accept decisions.

Now, Chelsea are determined to completely overhaul the team's on-pitch behavior and desperately need their key players to set an example and strictly adhere to discipline. However, the impulsive and unnecessary yellow cards Enzo frequently receives inevitably raise questions about his suitability as a disciplinary benchmark.

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