Enzo Fernandez could be offered an escape route from Chelsea as Blues star faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. Fernandez was the club's record signing after his £107million switch from Benfica in January 2023, but his place in the squad has come under question during Enzo Maresca's reign.
Fernandez has endured a rough spell both on and off the pitch after confirming his split from childhood sweetheart Valentina Cervantes. The couple had been married for six years and had two young children, a girl and a baby boy.
While the midfielder is settled in west London after purchasing a house in the capital, his career has stagnated over the past three months. Along with his personal issues, Fernandez may be viewed as easy prey for some of Europe's top clubs if he is frozen out.
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According to The Sun, Barcelona and Inter Milan are 'monitoring' his situation and could test Chelsea'resolve - although neither club would be able to match what they paid for him.
Maresca made the decision to stick by the Argentina international when he was forced to apologise for his part in a video that surfaced on social media. Fernandez was one of several players caught singing a racially offensive song about France players when celebrating their Copa America success and the incident caused a stir with his Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana.
But on the pitch, it's clear that his status as a regular in the squad - which was unquestionable under Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino - is no longer guaranteed.
Fernandez has made nine appearances for the Blues in the Premier League this season, with six of them coming from the start. But he hasn't played the full 90 minutes since a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace in September and is yet to register a goal or assist.
The 23-year-old has lost his place under Maresca to Romeo Lavia, a £58m signing from Southampton last summer. Lavia only played the equivalent of an hour of football in the 2023-24 campaign due to a series of injuries, giving Fernandez and Moises Caicedo regular football alongside Conor Gallagher in a three-man midfield.
But Maresca appears to prefer a double pivot in the flexible 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lavia and Caicedo forming the dynamic duo in the engine room. Meanwhile, Fernandez is out in the cold as he doesn't fit the profile the Italian wants in that position.
"At this moment Enzo is not playing but there is no problem with Enzo," Maresca said. "The noise about Enzo is because clubs pay so much money for them, people expect they will always be the best. That is not so.
"The only reason he is not playing is just because the physicality I prefer is from Caicedo and Romeo Lavia."
Fernandez came on as a substitute against Manchester United on Sunday but missed a glorious chance to snatch all three points, blazing over the bar after a Nicolas Jackson knockdown.
It's that same lack of end product which has caused some fans to question his performances, especially when Caicedo is starting to prove why the club paid £115m to sign him from Brighton.
The former River Plate trainee has consistently professed his loyalty to Chelsea and only recently signed an extension to 2032. He will fight for his place knowing that, after seeing five coaches pass through the doors since his arrival, his fortunes could change if Maresca leaves.
Equally, the £170,000-a-week star won't settle for sitting on the bench for months on end, nor will he be satisfied with playing for Chelsea's dubbed 'B team' in cup matches and the UEFA Conference League. Something's got to give, and if Fernandez can't find the resolution behind his struggles, Chelsea might make the decision for him by cashing in.
