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Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez caught the eye with a goal in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Mexico, with Liverpool among the 21-year-old’s admirers.
Argentina were already a goal up through Lionel Messi’s second-half strike when Fernandez picked up the ball on the left-hand side of the box and curled home.
Benfica reinvested some of the £85 million brought in from the sale of Darwin Nunez to sign Fernandez for up to £15.5 million, with a release clause of over £100 million negotiated into his contract.
Since swapping River Plate for the Portuguese club in July, Fernandez has scored three and assisted five in 24 games so far, including assists against PSG and Juventus in the Champions League.
Those were predicted to be Fernandez along with Brighton‘s Moises Caicedo, and a report from Sky Sports‘ Melissa Reddy from August backs up claims of interest in the Argentine.
It showed the young midfielder’s quick feet and shooting ability, which have been key features in his first season with Benfica.
But perhaps most intriguing now is mention of a “watching brief” on Fernandez, whose move from River Plate was designed to “continue his development.”
That would suggest that, as with Matheus Nunes’ transfer from Sporting CP to Wolves, those within the club were aware of the situation but perhaps eager to see how the player progressed at a higher level before committing.