Alonso says the club is still "preparing all options" for Enzo's future.

The transfer saga has been going on for a long time. The week before last, the club set a deadline for bids for Fernandez. After the deadline passed, the Argentine remained a Chelsea player, but his future remained uncertain. Last Monday night at Fulham's home ground, Fernandez was not welcomed by his own fans, and on Sunday he was not even included in the squad at all.

The club's artificial deadline was clearly intended to show that Chelsea were willing to keep Fernandez and force any interested clubs to match their £120m valuation. That approach did not work.

Now, with less than 48 hours until the transfer window closes, the question truly becomes: how much of a loss are Chelsea willing to absorb to offload a player who has already alienated many fans?

His hostile attitude towards England at the World Cup and his behaviour last season have contributed to the public’s negative perception of him.

In March this year, Fernandez said in a Spanish podcast that he wanted to live and play in Madrid. Chelsea immediately suspended him for two matches, and relations between the two sides have remained tense ever since.

This is not irreversible yet. A few good games and a few crucial goals can often change public opinion, but Chelsea's handling of this matter has put them at a disadvantage in this game.

Man City are the only realistic suitors, but they have already signed Elliot Anderson and Ayoub Bouaddi and do not actually need Fernandez. They may admire him, but they are not desperate enough to make an outrageous offer. So, if Chelsea want to resolve this protracted and negative issue quickly, they will probably have to make significant concessions.

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