£106m Real Madrid signing greenlit as Mourinho hunts sublime Prem raid | OneFootball

Jose Mourinho is pursuing Enzo Fernandez as a spectacular first Real Madrid signing this summer, and club president Florentino Perez has greenlit a move for the Chelsea talisman, a report has revealed.

Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid on an initial two-year contract that includes the option for an extra year. ‘The Special One’ will replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who has been relieved of his duties after Los Blancos suffered a second consecutive trophyless campaign.

Xabi Alonso was sacked in January, but things have only gotten worse under Arbeloa, with players fighting amongst themselves and also arguing with members of the coaching staff.

Perez has tasked Mourinho with bringing order back into the Madrid dressing room, and with guiding the team back to LaLiga and Champions League glory.

According to our colleagues at TEAMtalk, Fernandez’s ‘dream transfer’ from Chelsea to Madrid is ‘on’.

Mourinho has identified the midfielder as a ‘marquee’ and ‘statement’ signing to kickstart his second spell at the Bernabeu with a bang, and Perez has ‘approved’ the deal.

Rodri is Madrid’s ‘dream’ midfield target, but with Manchester City refusing to sell the Spaniard, Mourinho and Perez have turned their attention to Fernandez.

Madrid see the latter as a ‘superior long-term fit’ to fellow target Alexis Mac Allister, whose Liverpool future is uncertain.

Perez has ‘ordered extensive groundwork’ be completed over a potential move for Fernandez, and Madrid have ‘a clear understanding of the financial structure required’.

Chelsea originally signed the Argentina international for £106m and want to make a profit before selling him, with separate reports claiming his value has risen above £120m.

In a major boost for Madrid, Fernandez’s camp ‘have already made the Chelsea hierarchy aware of his desire to leave’. Fernandez and his entourage are ‘unwilling to engage in any new contract talks’ with Chelsea as he pushes to make a Madrid transfer a reality.

Enzo Fernandez pushing for Real Madrid move

Fernandez was handed an internal two-game ban in April after talking up a switch to Madrid or Atleti.

“I’d like to live in Spain. I really like Madrid; it reminds me of Buenos Aires,” he said while on international duty.

“Players live where they want. I’d live in Madrid. I get by in English, but I’d be more comfortable in Spanish.”

The report adds that Perez wants to complete the 25-year-old’s capture to boost optimism around his presidential campaign, which is under threat.

However, City are providing Madrid with competition for Fernandez. Enzo Maresca is set to succeed Pep Guardiola, and he is keen to reunite with both Fernandez and Marc Cucurella at the Etihad.

Fernandez leaving would be a huge setback for former Madrid boss Alonso, who will take over at Chelsea this summer.

But Chelsea are paying the price for a desperately poor campaign in which they finished 10th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any European competition.