Less than two years have passed since Chelsea unloaded a reported $131 million to make Enzo Fernández the most expensive signing in Premier League history. Fast forward to present day and Chelsea's record signing has spent the majority of recent Premier League matches watching from the bench.
Fernández arrived at Stamford Bridge fresh off a World Cup win with Argentina in which the then 21-year-old was given the Young Player of the Tournament award. Lionel Messi stole all the headlines, but Lionel Scaloni's team took off the moment he inserted Fernández into a midfield that dominated the tournament in Qatar.
That version of Fernández enamored the soccer world, but it's a version that's been seldom seen during his time at Chelsea, if at all. Four different managers have tried but none have been able to get him to play at the level he shows when he puts on Argentina's shirt—although his performances for his country have also dropped off a bit lately.
The Athletic reported last season, Chelsea's then-manager, Mauricio Pochettino, had concerns about a double pivot made up by Fernández and fellow $100 million midfielder, Moisés Caicedo. Now, with Enzo Maresca in charge, it would appear those concerns have materialized, with the Italian opting to play Romeo Lavia alongside Caicedo in recent Premier League games.
"Romeo (Lavia) and Moi (Caicedo), they give us physicality and strength in the middle," Maresca said prior to Chelsea's game vs. Manchester United. "It's a matter of balance."
"I still trust Enzo (Fernández). The reason why he's not playing in the Premier League is because in this moment I'm making a different decision, but my confidence is 100% with Enzo," Maresca said.
