New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has no intention of letting Enzo Fernandez leave Stamford Bridge this summer, despite growing interest from Real Madrid.
Xabi Alonso Tells Real Madrid: Enzo Fernandez Is Not for Sale
The Argentine midfielder attracted plenty of attention during a difficult 2025-26 campaign for the Blues.
Chelsea’s failure to qualify for European competition has raised questions about the futures of several key players, with Fernandez emerging as a target for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid now lead the race for his signature ahead of Manchester City, according to Football Insider.
However, Alonso plans to block any move and build his team around the 24-year-old.
Chelsea demand a staggering £120 million for Fernandez, hoping the price tag will scare off potential suitors.
The club paid around £109 million to sign him from Benfica in 2023 and wants to recoup a substantial fee if he does leave.
But Alonso remains determined to keep hold of his star man. The new manager is already planning an overhaul of the squad to push Chelsea back into the top five next season, and he sees Fernandez as a central piece of that project.
The midfielder added fuel to the speculation in April when he responded “I don’t know” to questions about whether he wanted to stay at Chelsea.
He then openly praised Madrid, saying: “I really like Madrid – it’s similar to Buenos Aires.” When asked if he would consider living there, he replied: “Yes, of course.”
Those remarks led to him being dropped from the squad last season. But Alonso appears ready to forgive and rebuild.
For now, Chelsea stand firm. Whether Real Madrid test that resolve with a formal bid remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: Alonso has made up his mind, and Fernandez won’t be leaving without a fight.
