The shirt number that Enzo Fernandez will wear at Chelsea has seemingly been leaked online.
The Argentine finally completed a British-record £107m move to Stamford Bridge in the dying embers of the January transfer window, after weeks and weeks of intense negotiations between Chelsea’s hierarchy and Benfica.
22-year-old Fernandez is expected to slot straight into Chelsea’s midfield, alongside a host of other big-money signings, but his shirt number was not immediately revealed when the club confirmed his signing.
Indeed, Chelsea are still yet to formally announce the shirt number Fernandez will take, but various leaks online suggest he’ll be taking over from Jorginho as the club’s number five.
Jorginho departed Chelsea to make space for Fernandez, heading across London to join Premier League leaders Arsenal in a deal worth £12m. He’s signed an 18-month contract with Mikel Arteta’s side, with the option of an additional year.
Fernandez, meanwhile, has signed a contract running until 2031, in the latest extraordinary deal sanctioned by Todd Boehly.
Enzo Fernández has completed also the second part of medical tests after the first one in Portugal. 🔵✅🩺 #CFC
Chelsea’s official unveiling of their €121m boy is coming. pic.twitter.com/H13qckLgWw
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 1, 2023
Fernandez’s career may still be in its infancy but he’s had a fair amount of shirt numbers already.
At River Plate, Fernandez donned the 13, 16 and 37, while a loan spell at Defensa y Justicia saw the World Cup winner strap 8 and 34 on his back.
13 was again the number of choice for his stint at Benfica, but 24 is the jersey that Fernandez has successfully worn for Argentina.
If the leak of Fernandez’s shirt number proves to be untrue, there are a number of other options open to the 22-year-old.
Unfortunately, his two favourite numbers – 8 and 24 – are not available as Mateo Kovacic and Reece James are in possession of those.
2, 3, 25, 34, 35, 37, 38, and 39 are available, with only do numbers over 40 actually taken as well. That’s number 56, worn by Omari Hutchinson, and 67, taken by versatile youngster Lewis Hall.
Credit: 90min.com
