Emmanuel Petit and Frank Leboeuf believe Chelsea ought to sign Eduardo Camavinga in a player-plus-money exchange involving Enzo Fernandez. The Argentina midfielder has repeatedly been linked with a switch to Real Madrid, with new manager Jose Mourinho keen to strengthen his midfield choices.
It’s understood that Fernandez is eager to leave Chelsea this summer and while the club would prefer to hold on to the 25-year-old, who arrived from Benfica for £106.7million in 2023, they are reportedly prepared to let him go if a bid of £120m is submitted.
Real Madrid are said to be monitoring Fernandez closely, although there remains uncertainty over whether the Spanish giants would match Chelsea’s valuation. Petit and Leboeuf, both of whom played for the Blues, have argued that if Los Blancos are unwilling to meet the nine-figure asking price, then Chelsea should consider asking for one of their players in a swap arrangement.
Speaking to BetVictor, Petit said Camavinga, who’s reportedly valued at €50m (£43m), would be a “great fit” at Stamford Bridge. “Eduardo Camavinga in a swap deal with Enzo Fernandez? Why not? Camavinga is still a very young player,” the Frenchman said.
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“He left Rennes for Madrid when he was 18 years old and he has played for six or seven years for Real Madrid. He has won some big trophies too. This guy has been an amazing young prospect. I cannot judge his level for the last two seasons with what’s going on at the club.
“You have so many players that didn’t play well for Real Madrid for different reasons.” Petit went on to say: “Camavinga can be very good because we know that at Chelsea, most of them are young players. He’s got experience.
“When you come from Real Madrid to Chelsea, having won many trophies and played there for so many years, and you play for the national team, you arrive at the club with experience that’s probably missing at Chelsea. Camavinga is a talented player; he would be a great fit.”
View 3 ImagesEnzo Fernandez has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for some time(Image: Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Echoing that opinion while speaking to BOYLE Sports, Leboeuf outlined why he feels Camavinga would be an ideal addition under Xabi Alonso. “I think Eduardo Camavinga would be fantastic at Chelsea,” said the former Blues defender.
“What he did for Real Madrid was absolutely exceptional because at the time that he came, you had Casemiro, you had Toni Kroos, and it was hard to play. Camavinga did very well and won so many titles that he has the experience, and he’s a great young guy working hard.
“Camavinga and Moises Caicedo would be a fantastic pairing. Let’s see how it works. Aurelien Tchouameni would also be an option for me, one of those two at Chelsea would be very interesting under Xabi Alonso.”
View 3 ImagesPetit and Leboeuf both think Chelsea should target Eduardo Camavinga(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Later, Petit argued that Fernandez’s long-term future does not lie at Stamford Bridge. The 55-year-old said: “Enzo Fernandez should go; you cannot keep a player happy if he wants to leave.
“He did say that he wanted to leave, and he was fined by the club. I know he’s probably been one of the best players for Chelsea for the last two years, but you cannot be the captain of the team and have this kind of communication.
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“Obviously, he wants to leave the club; we are not stupid. I think he’s been fed up and tired with what’s going on at Chelsea. It’s been a mess this season. Obviously, he is targeted by Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid desperately needs to get some strong and powerful midfield players. I won’t be surprised if he leaves the club and goes to Real Madrid or somewhere else.”
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