Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has stated that midfielder Enzo Fernandez will participate in the upcoming Carabao Cup fixture against Luton Town on Thursday, despite reports of a significant bid from Manchester City. The Premier League club is reportedly preparing an opening offer of £100 million for the 25-year-old Argentinian player.
Sources within Chelsea have indicated that any offer below their valuation of at least £120 million is likely to be rejected. The summer transfer window is set to close on September 1.
Alonso, who is set to manage his first competitive home game, addressed Fernandez's availability by saying, "Yes, so we expect that he's involved. He's trained, he's training really well, he's a good professional and he will be involved." When asked about his desire for Fernandez to remain with the club beyond the current transfer window, Alonso added, "We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities. He has shown it. We have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let's see how things develop."
Enzo Fernandez came off the bench in Chelsea's 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday.
Should Chelsea agree to a transfer to Manchester City, it would mean strengthening a direct rival while potentially weakening their own squad. The club would then need to secure a replacement, with Bournemouth's Alex Scott, Monaco's Lamine Camara, and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton mentioned as potential candidates.
"We assess the whole squad as a unit and in that squad, we want good balance in terms of quality, in terms of positions, in terms of personalities, so we are aware of everything and we are prepared for whatever," Alonso stated regarding squad management.
Chelsea has also reportedly valued winger Pedro Neto at close to £100 million amid transfer speculation. Neto was deployed as a right wing-back in the recent 3-2 Premier League victory against Fulham, replacing Malo Gusto as a substitute in the 76th minute.
"Wing-back, winger, you can call it whatever you want, but the main thing is the quality of the players, that they adjust and that we have balance with the players around," Alonso commented on player versatility. "That makes sense. That makes the team better. That’s always my main focus, that the team is better with the qualities and knowing the best quality of each individual player. We want to have the best possible squad and let's see what happens."
In other team news, Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra will not be available for the match against Luton Town due to setbacks. Alonso indicated that Caicedo might be fit to return for the Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. Cole Palmer is fit and available, despite requesting to be substituted during the win at Fulham.