Joao Felix has defended Chelsea’s record spend on Enzo Fernandez and has backed the new arrival to become ‘one of the best midfielders in Europe’.
Fernandez became the most expensive Premier League footballer of all time after completing a £106.8m move from Benfica to Chelsea last month, with the west Londoners breaking the transfer record for the 22-year-old.
The World Cup winner made his debut during last week’s goalless draw with Fulham at Stamford Bridge and Felix has been impressed with the impact of his new teammate.
“He is a very good boy,” he told DiarioAS. “He has entered the group very well. He arrive two days before a game and has already started playing. It has been very good. He is a very good player.”
Felix discussed Fernandez’s fee and admits football has changed with huge sums now ‘common’. The Portugal international understands the pressure on Fernandez after he became the fourth-most expensive footballer in history when completing a £113m move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019.
“It is increasingly normal for each amount to be paid like this. Football has changed, and it will be common for amounts of 80, 90, 100, 110 million to be paid.
“He deserves the money because he is a young player. He is very good and has a lot of room to evolve. Surely he will be one of the best midfielders in Europe.”
