Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez claims record fee doesn’t faze him; praises the influence of Lionel Messi

Chelsea’s all-time record signing Enzo Fernandez has insisted he is not feeling the pressure at Stamford Bridge, despite his staggering price tag.

The London giants completed the £106.7m signing on deadline day last month after weeks of negotiations with Benfica.

Fernandez has featured three times in the Premier League so far, putting in some solid performances, but Chelsea are yet to register a win with him in the side.

Indeed, pressure is beginning to mount on Chelsea manager Graham Potter, with them currently sitting in tenth place in the table after losing eight of their 23 matches so far.

As a result of their poor form, club owner Todd Boehly splashed more than teams in LaLiga, the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 combined in January, bringing in the likes of Fernandez, Mykahylo Mudryk (£88.5m) and Benoit Badiashile (£32.7m), among others.

However, Fernandez has insisted that he remains unfazed by the challenge ahead, as Chelsea look to recover from their poor form.

Speaking to Chelsea’s official website, he said: “Everything happened so fast that I’m still shocked.

“I try to enjoy these moments and football, as that’s what I’m passionate about. I’ve always dreamt of this.

“I’ve never felt any kind of pressure on my shoulders. Never in my life. I’ve always tried to enjoy. I do what I love! I always try to give it my all, with no pressure. Enjoying these moments is the most important thing.

“I’ve always longed to play in the Premier League. Chelsea FC has given me the opportunity to play here, and I feel grateful for their trust. I love everything about the club, I’m so happy with my teammates and technical staff.

“Honestly, ever since I landed here I felt at home. I’ll always try to give it my all along with my teammates to achieve the greatest things for Chelsea.

“The World Cup is like reaching the sky! For me, that’s everlasting glory. But one needs to keep the focus and self-belief.

“I’ll always try to have confidence in us, to win everything possible and keep evolving as a player. Clinching titles is the main objective, as well as enjoying football.”

As mentioned by Fernandez, he played a key role in helping to lift their first World Cup trophy since 1986 last year in Qatar, where he scored a vital goal in a group-stage clash against Mexico.

The tournament saw the disputed GOAT Lionel Messi top off his international career in style, but their first game up against the host nation did not go as planned.

“It’s true the first game was not what we expected, and we did not get the result we wanted,” Fernandez said. “But in any case, we demonstrated that we were calm, focused and united. Luckily, we became world champions, and that really is priceless.

“I’ve always said Leo Messi was a player I look up to. I’ve always tried to learn from him. He’s a great person and has given me love and support within the team.

“I also had to face him when I played for Benfica in the Champions League, as he played for PSG. Right after that, we became teammates in the Argentina squad.

“He’s a great person. [He’s] very humble, hard-working. He deserves everything he has achieved in football.”

“I remember we went through tough times with the squad, and the press criticised Leo so harshly. I tried to explain how I feel about him. I asked him to stay, as he said he wouldn’t play for the team anymore.

“I defended him to stay with us, playing for the squad. I was pretty young back then!

“He means a lot to everyone in the world. He’s a legend for Argentina. He’s a loved person, an idol for all Argentinians, for our children. As a person, I have no complaints about him.

“He’s always given me so much love. He’s always respected me and was a great teammate in all senses. I’m very thankful for having played with him.”

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