Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea and Argentina midfielder has ‘mentality to match’ quality, says Rio Ferdinand

Chelsea’s new midfielder Enzo Fernandez has the “mentality” to match his skillset and will settle seamlessly into the Premier League, according to Rio Ferdinand.

However, the 22-year-old was arguably Graham Potter’s best player as the Blues were held to a goalless draw at home to Fulham on his debut and, speaking to BT Sport, former England international Ferdinand believes that positive showing is only a sign of things to come.

“I think the confidence is what strikes me about him for someone so young,” said Ferdinand.

“His trajectory in the last year, I’ve never seen anything like it and it doesn’t faze him.

“I watched him in the World Cup. He goes into that team and he looks like somebody who’s meant to be in there. Not fazed, playing the World Cup.

“The pressure that those Argentinians are under to produce the World Cup, not only for their country but for [Lionel] Messi, you can’t put that into numbers what that means. And he went out there and played like it was any game.

“There’s some players, you think they need a bit of time to adapt [to the Premier League], I don’t really feel he’s that type of guy. He looks like a player but with a mentality to match.”

It has been a tough campaign for Graham Potter’s side this season in the Premier League, with the top four almost out of reach, but Joe Cole feels Fernandez could be a game-changer for the Blues.

He said: “People have been asking the question: what is Enzo Fernandez? Is he an attacking midfielder? Is he a defensive midfielder? He does a bit of both. He’s got a lot of quality, plays the ball forward, he reads the game.

“When you look at the titles he’s already won, he’s a winner. He wins the ball and plays it forward.

“I think Chelsea have been quite ponderous at times this season going forward. When you’ve got him in midfield, it releases the front three, the wingbacks, because they feel that they can get forward. He’s a winner.

“I think Chelsea have got a player that they’ve been crying out for, someone who can link the play from defence, particularly now that Jorginho has left the building.”

Fernandez scored three goals following his £10m move from River Plate to Benfica in July 2020.

He scored 12 times and registered 10 assists in 53 games for the Argentine Primera Division side before moving to Europe.