Chelsea gives 17:00 BST Friday deadline for £120m Enzo Fernandez offers

Chelsea have given clubs until 17:00 BST on Friday to submit offers of £120m or more for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and Fernandez returned to full training under new manager Xabi Alonso on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old has been the subject of transfer uncertainty since March, when he first raised the possibility of a move to Real Madrid, and his agent Javier Pastore publicly stated his client was underpaid and wanted to leave after a difficult season. Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League and ended the campaign without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.

The club has set the 17:00 BST Friday deadline to try to bring an end to that uncertainty before the start of the season and has indicated it expects offers to meet a £120m valuation. Chelsea paid £107m to sign Fernandez from Benfica in 2023 and have given Fernandez and any interested clubs around 60 days to complete a deal at what the club regard as a fair price.

Real Madrid have said they have "no intention" of signing Fernandez, leaving Manchester City as the only known potential suitors. City's new boss Enzo Maresca left Chelsea midway through last season, and it remains unclear whether City would be willing to meet Chelsea's valuation, with the Etihad club also reported to be targeting Lille's Moroccan midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.

Xabi Alonso has spoken to Fernandez about his future but declined to disclose the details of their conversation. Chelsea have made clear they are willing to fully reintegrate Fernandez into the squad and allow him to continue as a key player if he stays.

Fernandez scored 15 goals and provided seven assists in 54 appearances for Chelsea last season. He then helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, where he was sent off as they lost to Spain 1-0.

Any formal offers must arrive by 17:00 BST on Friday. Chelsea say the deadline is intended to bring an end to uncertainty ahead of the new season.