Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has admitted that he didn’t know much about his new teammate Enzo Fernandez before his record-breaking January move to Stamford Bridge.
The Argentina international joined Chelsea from Benfica on the deadline day of the January transfer window in a deal worth £106 million, breaking the British transfer record. The Blues beat off interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid, who were reportedly interested in the midfielder.
He earned his move to London after playing a vital role with his national team in Qatar as Argentina won the World Cup. His performance in the final especially earned him rave reviews.
Before joining Chelsea, the 22-year-old made 24 appearances for Benfica in all competitions, scoring four goals and registering nine assists.
He has carried that form into Chelsea and has started every game since his January switch. His scooped assist for Kai Havertz’s goal against Leicester City is his standout moment thus far.
Despite his growing popularity before starring in Qatar, not everyone knew him, including his new teammate Cucurella. The Spanish defender was not in Qatar and was privileged to be among the players watching the action from home. He has now admitted that he was unaware of who Fernandez was before watching him in action at Qatar 2022.
“I liked to watch matches in which my friends were playing, so I was watching Argentina because of Alexis,” the Chelsea star told ESPN’s Sports Center via GOAL.
“I think I said, “I really like number 24. He’s very good!” But I didn’t even know where he played! I had to go and search on my phone! As I watched more games, I told my family and friends that I really liked him a lot. And then he came to Chelsea!”
But Cucurella was full of praise for Fernandez and has stated that the 22 -year old midfielder will be a valuable asset for Chelsea for years to come.
“I told Enzo that I had liked him at the World Cup. He’s a good guy; I’m waiting for him to cook me a barbeque,” he added. “He is very young, but he is very talented with the ball, and he is intelligent. He’s still adapting, but he’s already played some good games. We have [signed] a great midfielder.”
