Enzo Fernandez to Real Madrid decisions made by Xabi Alonso and Jose Mourinho | OneFootball

Jose Mourinho has made Enzo Fernandez his ‘number one target’ as his Real Madrid rebuild continues and Xabi Alonso has reached a decision on selling him to Los Blancos this summer.

Chelsea paid a British-record £105m to sign Fernandez from Benfica in January 2023 and after scoring 15 goals in all competitions last season, the Blues are reticent to let him go. But he doesn’t want to be there.

When asked if he would be at Chelsea next season, Fernandez said in March: “I don’t know, there are eight games left and then the FA Cup. Then there’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.”

Fernandez also said he “didn’t understand” why Enzo Maresca was sacked (we’re with him there) before insisting he fancies living in Madrid.

“I’d like to experience, I don’t know, live there,” he said. “I really like Madrid, it reminds me a lot of Buenos Aires.”

Marc Cucurella has already agreed to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in a £52m transfer and transfer expert Ben Jacobs confirmed earlier this week that Fernandez is ‘keen’ to join him at the Bernabeu.

Jacobs wrote on X: ‘Enzo Fernandez is keen to join Marc Cucurella at Real Madrid, and has made no secret of wanting to leave Chelsea. Chelsea’s asking price remains £120m, as revealed last month. Club calm about the situation, but will sell at the right price.

‘Real Madrid are currently deciding on the type of midfield profile they want. Mateus Fernandes and Rodri two other names discussed.’

And now Marca claim that Mourinho has decided that Fernandez is his ‘first-choice’ target this summer after the signing of Bernardo Silva on a free transfer was confirmed on Wednesday.

His agent, Javier Pastore, is aware of Real Madrid’s interest and Fernandez’s desire to move to the La Liga giants and Los Blancos want to ‘carry out another lightning-fast operation to get the transfer market wrapped up as soon as possible’.

The report adds that Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso ‘does not want to keep any footballer who is not fully committed to the project’ and the Blues will not stand in Fernandez’s way if Real Madrid meet their £120m asking price.

Camavinga swap?

In a bid to reduce the fee, Real Madrid could offer Chelsea a player in exchange, and former Blues midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes Eduardo Camavinga could represent a “very good” signing.

“Eduardo Camavinga in a swap deal with Enzo Fernandez? Why not?” Petit said.

“Camavinga is still a very young player. He left Rennes for Madrid when he was eighteen years old and he has played for six or seven years for Real Madrid.

“He has won some big trophies too. This guy has been an amazing young prospect. I cannot judge his level for the last two seasons with what’s going on at the club. You have so many players that didn’t play well for Real Madrid for different reasons.

“Camavinga can be very good because we know that at Chelsea most of them are young players. He’s got experience. When you come from Real Madrid to Chelsea having won many trophies and played there for so many years and you play for the national team, you arrive at the club with experience that’s probably missing at Chelsea.

“Camavinga is a talented player, he would be a great fit.”