Chelsea £107m star Enzo Fernandez reveals Declan Rice inspires him
Enzo Fernandez has admitted that watching footage of Chelsea target Declan Rice inspired him to improve ahead of his £107million move to Stamford Bridge, but the Blues chiefs will likely need to fork out another British record fee if they wish to lure the West Ham star to west London.
During the World Cup and before completing his blockbuster transfer – en route to winning the Young Player of the Tournament award in Qatar – Fernandez singled out Rice as one of his inspirations.
‘I try to watch as much football and learn a little bit from everyone,’ he said. ‘I like Rice of England, I try to watch him and learn.’
Chelsea academy graduate Rice, who has long been linked with a transfer back to west London, is expected to leave West Ham this summer and take the next step in his promising career.
Despite splurging over £300m in the January window, Blues chairman Todd Boehly will be keenly preparing to launch a deal for Rice in the summer, continuing his aggressive strategy in the transfer market.
However, David Moyes has warned the American – and Rice’s other suitors – that it will take another British record fee to lure his captain away from West Ham.
After West Ham’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle, Moyes said: ‘I thought he was a top player in the first-half, really was.
‘Showed so many things and it’s interesting, undoubtedly, Declan is going to be a top player and undoubtedly he’ll be a British transfer record if he ever leaves West Ham, and more.’
The manager is confident Rice’s transfer fee, should he exit the club, will blow Fernandez’s transfer ‘out of the water’.
‘I hope it’s not [an inevitable departure]. I hope he sees his time here. There’s a lot of talk about it and it’s just important when you see what’s going about for the prices.
‘I think Declan will be blowing that out of the water, that’s for sure, when it comes around.’
Rice’s West Ham contract is set to expire in the summer of 2024, meaning it is likely the Hammers will cash in on the midfielder before he enters the final year of his deal. Arsenal and Real Madrid have also expressed interest in the England star.
Meanwhile, Fernandez made his debut during Chelsea’s 0-0 draw against Fulham on Friday, helping Graham Potter’s side to a clean sheet in his first match anchoring the midfield.
